X-men Supreme: United And Divided
by MarvelMaster616
Summary: Volume 7 of X-men Supreme. The X-men are divided. Charles Xavier's has teamed up with President Kelly to forge peace from the aftermath of the Mutant Liberation Front. Cyclops and Wolverine have formed X-Force, believing the peace Xavier seeks is the dream they fought for. Divisions, new threats, and old ones are evolving. Can a divided X-men still adapt? Or is the dream no more?
1. Issue 149: Law Abiding Bind

**X-men Supreme Volume 7: United and Divided**

 **Issue #149  
Law Abiding Bind**

* * *

 **AN: The next era of X-men Supreme is here! It's a time of upheaval for the X-men. The team is divided. Hearts have been broken. Relationships have been strained. It's not just the X-men anymore fighting for peace and understanding. There's also X-Force, led by Cyclops and Wolverine. Xavier's dream has changed, but so has the world. The Mutant Liberation Front left many scars. A new set of challenges now awaits. Between divisions and devastation, life is bound to get tougher for the X-men and the world as a whole.  
**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own X-men or any of the characters. Marvel and Disney own them. I make no absolutely no money off this. This is pure fan work that fits within the Fair Use clause. Please don't sue.**

 _'These mean thoughts or psychic communication.'_

 **As always, I encourage everyone to provide feedback and leave reviews. I know X-men Supreme has grown a great deal. It's not an easy series to keep up with. I also know that review totals have decreased lately. I really want to that to change, especially as X-men Supreme enters uncharted territory. So please tell me what you think. I'm open to all kinds of criticism, hopefully of the constructive variety. I still want this fanfiction series to continue through Volume 7 and beyond. But I've ever intention of making X-men Supreme Volume 7: United and Divided as awesome as possible. Again, please post your review on this site or send it to me via email or post it on my X-men Supreme website. The link is on my profile. Either way is fine. Now without further ado, I give you X-men Supreme Volume 7: United and Divided. Excelsior!**

* * *

 _Professor Charles Xavier created the X-men to fight for peace in a world that hates and fears their kind. Together, they stood united against the forces of tyranny and hatred. Now they are united no more. The X-men, by every measure, have changed in ways that even the world's most powerful psychic could never have foreseen._

 _It started and ended with the Mutant Liberation Front. This band of mutant terrorists plunged the world into chaos and terror. They attacked civilians, major infrastructure, and military targets. The collective effort of the X-men and the Mutant Security Agency wasn't enough to stop them. The Xavier Institute was destroyed. The mutant nation of Genosha was abandoned. Now thousands of mutants are missing and unaccounted for, leaving an uncertain world was desperate for bold action._

 _In an act of desperation, Charles Xavier laid out an ambitious plan he calls the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. Under this program, the X-men are fully integrated into the Mutant Security Agency. That means the X-men's collective strength and resources are at the disposal of the government and vice versa. It's a risky, controversial move. Most have gone along with it. Some, including the X-men's long-time field leader Cyclops, chose to quit rather than go along with it._

 _Now the X-men are divided. One team works within the law. One works outside the law. Seven months have passed since the Mutant Monitoring Initiative began. It remains to be seen just how successful or detrimental this plan will be._

* * *

 **Washington DC – Xavier Institute for Mutant Research**

Whenever power became concentrated into an area, it left an unmistakable impression. Sometimes it was subtle. Sometimes it was impossible to ignore. The Xavier Institute, by design contained, a great deal of power. The District of Columbia contained a great deal of power as well, albeit in a different capacity. Now that the Xavier Institute had been rebuilt it Washington DC, that indelible mark of power grew more _pronounced_.

This power and the story behind it was what led Melita Garner to the front gate of the recently completed institute. She arrived via special escort to a complex that had been built into the north part of Rock Creek Park. Only a handful of roads led up to it and all were well-monitored. They ended at a gate that overlooked an institute that was very similar in appearance to the institute at Westchester, but had a great many refinements.

As Melita stepped out of the government-issued BMW, she was taken by the scale of the complex. It was bigger than the previous institute. The front and back yard were pretty vast, but well maintained. There was a fountain leading up to the front door and a pool in the back. The front of the institute had more windows and a more refined appearance. Brick and mortar had been replaced with metal and plastics. It reflected the change in the Xavier Institute from a school to a more sophisticated complex.

Along with the change was a large contingent of MPs and MSA officers guarding the grounds. They patrolled the gates and the area with special rifles, keeping them ready even as Melita approached.

"State your business and show your identification. You have five seconds to comply," said one of the MSA operatives from behind the gate.

"The paint isn't even dry on this place and you're already treating it like George Washington's tomb. Gotta love this city," commented Melita as she showed her ID.

"You must be the new press hound from the White House," said the operative, "Tell me, how did you get roped into this job again? You make a pass at your boss or something?"

"Believe it or not, I didn't have to sleep with anybody to get this job. Doing PR for the Pentagon just wasn't exciting anymore. I'm ready for something bigger and that something is waiting for me inside. Now if you don't mind, can you let me through? I've got a deadline."

Melita spoke with a toughness not often heard from media personnel. The MSA operative stood mildly impressed. He turned towards the MPs and nodded, who opened the gate. The young woman then walked in confidently with poise, adjusting her sunglasses as she walked up the winding trail that led to the Xavier Institute.

Along the way she passed more MPs and a few maintenance workers. Even though this facility looked like a private mansion, it had the feel of a government facility. Something about that seemed a little off, but that was why Melita was here.

She followed the trail up to the front door of the institute. Upon arriving, she saw that Charles Xavier was already standing there waiting for her. He wasn't dressed like a politician or a military man. Instead he wore dark pants, a dress shirt, and a blazer. He still looked like a Professor, which was reassuring in the sea of controversy that surrounded this facility.

"You must be Melita Garner. The Mutant Monitoring Initiatives newest PR consultant," greeted Professor Xavier.

"Just Melita is fine. Let's avoid unnecessary breaths and go straight to being on a first-name basis," replied Melita as she shook his hand, "We'll have to be if we're going to make this work."

"Indeed," Xavier agreed, "I hope you'll bear with me because I'm not quite sure what _this_ entails."

"You and everyone else at the Press Corp," she said, "This is General Grimshaw's idea so take it up with him if you want. He thinks that after the Mutant Monitoring Initiative was approved, it still requires a significant image boost. You and the X-men have been running around making all this noise, but not everyone is able to listen. My job is to sift through that noise and deliver the right message to the public."

"By _right_ , you mean..."

"I'd rather not get into semantics. For now, assume that John and Jane Q. Public are standing right in front of you. They want a full assessment of how the Mutant Monitoring Initiative has unfolded over the past seven months. They also want to know where it's going moving forward."

"Sounds like perfectly reasonable concerns," said Xavier, "I'm more than happy to discuss them at length. Care to walk and talk at the same time?"

"Taking notes on the move is a requirement for everyone in PR. I'll be recording this for the record so in the spirit of full disclosure, I'll ask you to be concise," said Melita, "It also wouldn't hurt to be mindful of what you're saying."

"I'm the world's most powerful psychic. Paranoia is somewhat _redundant_ ," he quipped in good humor, "Besides, I've nothing to hide, nor do I care to during this critical transition."

"So try anyways. In this town, saying too much can get you into a world of trouble."

It sounded like a warning. Melita clearly took her job seriously. He also sensed in her a touch of cynicism. She assumed every shortcoming was severe and did not shy away from harsh truth. It was little wonder why General Grimshaw selected her for this. So while maintaining his calm demeanor, Professor Xavier started walking while Melita turned on her recorder.

"Let's start with the basics," she began, now holding the recorder up near the Professor, "Your team consists of seven X-men. Phoenix, Beast, Storm, Rogue, Gambit, Colossus, and Psylocke. You have two reserve X-men with Shadowcat and Iceman, who are currently attending school at the Academy of Tomorrow. Between each of them, you have a fairly _limited_ number of mutants to head up such a bold operation."

"I've always been a strong believer in quality over quantity," replied Xavier, "These gifted individuals have more than just mutant abilities and the training to use it. They have my _trust_."

"That trust must go a long way. Before the ink dried on the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, you and the X-men hit the ground running."

"We had little choice in the matter. The world was vulnerable. The Mutant Liberation Front may have been thwarted, but the Genosha exodus changed the stakes. Every nation on the planet was clamoring for _some_ sense of clarity. They wanted to know where all these mutants were, what they were up to, and what happened to the valuable technology they took with them when they disappeared."

"And have your X-men obtained any answers?"

"We've surmised _part_ of the answer," said Xavier, choosing his words carefully, "Before this new institute was complete, I worked with General Grimshaw to get a new version of Cerebrum up and running."

"Cerebrum…you mean that mutant-tracking computer that many find so _mysterious_?"

"There's nothing mysterious about it. The way it works is well-understood by those familiar with the biology and physiology of the X-gene."

"All of which could probably fit into a greyhound bus," Melita quipped.

"Even fewer understand quantum mechanics, but that doesn't prevent people from enjoying its fruits. Namely computers, cell phones, and even the recording device you're using this very moment."

There was a certain wryness to his tone. Melita tried to blitz him with finer details, but he didn't skip a beat. It left her mildly impressed. He still had much to prove though.

"Regardless of how it works, we were able to get a new Cerebrum up and running within a month. Thankfully, I had many of the files from my previous institute backed up in a secure location. So we were able to get to work. Thanks to the addition of the MSA's resources, we were able to get a firm grasp of mutant activity."

"How much of that activity was from former Genoshans?" asked Melita.

"Not nearly as much as we hoped," Xavier conceded, "But we were able to confirm some of our early suspicions. The society that was created on Genosha is still active, even if it's now fragmented. Just as before, they guard their thoughts and capabilities very well. So much so that Cerebrum cannot hone in on all of them at this time."

"I assume there are exceptions," she stated.

"There often are. We discovered early on that some of Genosha's citizen's are not quite on board with their leadership's current agenda."

* * *

 **Six Months Ago – Argentina**

"WILL YOU DAMN X-MEN JUST LEAVE ME ALONE? HAVEN'T YOU RUINED ENOUGH ALREADY?" exclaimed a breathless mutant girl.

"You're making this way harder than it needs to be, Mercury," replied an exasperated Jean Grey, flying over on a wave of telekinesis in an effort to keep up.

"QUIT TALKING LIKE THOSE MSA GOONS! YOU'RE BETTER THAN THAT! AT LEAST YOU USED TO BE!" yelled the young mutant.

"Quit blamin' us for a world your pals fucked up. You ain't got nobody to blame but yourself," retorted Rogue, who flew in past Phoenix.

The grunt work had officially begun for the X-men. The Mutant Monitoring Initiative was in full gear, which meant they had missions to coordinate and orders to follow.

They came in quickly once Cerebrum activated. They all had to play catch-up, tracking mutant activity and honing in on those that caused problems. Their primary focus was on mutants who were once citizens of Genosha. Most kept quiet behind whatever safeguards the Brotherhood still had in place. Others, like Mercury, were a bit more reckless. That recklessness led her to a poor farming town in the early hours of the evening.

"Out of my way!" she yelled as she shoved past unwitting civilians that stood in her way.

" _Somebody stop that mutant! She just wounded my horse and wrecked my shop!"_ yelled a civilian in Spanish who was chasing after her.

"Ah ain't caught up on mah Spanish, so Ah'll assume that fella is pissed," said Rogue.

"It's safe to assume everybody she's encountered is pissed," said Phoenix, "She made quite a mess when she tried to steal a cab and ended up crashing into a grocery store."

"For a former acolyte of Magneto, that's pretty dang stupid," scoffed Rogue, "Ah'm headin' in before she can top herself!"

Rogue changed course, flying in lower and faster towards Mercury's position. She passed over a vast array of dilapidated housing. The layout of village was crammed and dirty. Mercury probably thought she could avoid the authorities by hiding behind a cloak. That might have worked until she used her powers to do a little carjacking that got detected by Cerebrum. Since Mercury was trained by Magneto, the MSA needed some extra muscle to apprehend her.

Rogue could still see the fire in the distance caused when Mercury crashed that taxi. She caused quite a commotion. The local MSA needed the X-men to ensure that she would do no further damage.

This was the primary function of the X-men it seemed. They would find unruly mutants and corral them for the authorities. It was more streamlined than before. With the support of the MSA, they didn't have to be covert about their operations. They could get clearance from local authorities to head into an area, do what they needed to do, and get out with less urgency. While it was more convenient, it didn't make confronting these angry mutants any easier.

"Hey Mercury! Mold your way outta _this_!" yelled Rogue as she flew in at high speeds.

"I'll never let you-UNGH!" was all she got out before she was struck.

Mercury had just knocked over a cage of chickens and leveled an old woman. Just as she was about to duck behind another car, Rogue hit her like a flying battering ram. Her liquid-metal body was severely warped. She essentially became a flying glob, letting out muffled cries until she splattered right onto the windshield of a passing car.

"Que es esto?" said the driver, understandably confused.

The driver of the car came to an abrupt halt, which stopped the traffic behind him and caused a few more fender benders to add to Mercury's rap sheet. Not seeming to understand the gravity of the situation, the old man used his windshield wipers to get the disembodied mutant off his car. As her liquid metal form was wiped away, she reformed in a somewhat messy manner. Rogue's blow had clearly rattled her.

"Ugh...splattered like mud. I've reached a new low," she groaned.

"If you don't wanna go any lower, Ah suggest ya call it a night," Rogue called out from above as she prepared to fly in for another attack.

"Like _you're_ in a position to give mutants advice? I'd rather get aromatherapy from Toad!" scoffed Mercury.

She was not heeding the X-men's urgings. She was among many who had grown more cynical since the Mutant Monitoring Initiative began. In some ways, Rogue couldn't blame her. She heard the same criticisms as everyone else. That didn't change anything though. The new policy was in place. It had its faults, but it had plenty of benefits as well.

"You X-men are a joke!" yelled Mercury as she stammered through the dirty streets, "From heroes to cronies in one short month? That's not just stupid! It's downright _lazy_!"

Her taunts echoed through the dusty village air. Rogue followed closely, watching as she reached the end of the street. Her malleable form was still jumbled. She looked like a stick figure with jagged tree branches for arms. She sauntered around the corner in hopes of finding a new avenue of escape. She ended up facing a dead end of the worst kind.

"Aye carumba..." groaned the young mutant.

" _Attention mutant. This is the MSA, the South American Division. The country of Argentina is a participant in the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. By our authority, you are under arrest!"_

Mercury's already jumbled poise slouched as she stood face-to-face with a large road blockade. Two large MSA armored vans with Argentina flags on the side blocked off her escape route. In front of them stood a dozen fully equipped Argentinian MSA operatives. Their uniforms and weapons looked brand new. It demonstrated how quickly the Mutant Monitoring Initiative had spread, equipping countries all over the world with mutant-fighting hardware.

"I don't speak Spanish so I'll answer that with the only phrase I know," she grunted, "Hasta la vista ba..."

Once again, Mercury was cut off. This time it didn't come from a strike by Rogue. It came from a telepathic probe by Phoenix, who had since caught up and settled over her position. Having already been dazed by Rogue's attack, her mind was vulnerable. That was all Phoenix needed to end this fight. She wasn't _gentle_ about it either.

"Argh!" cried Mercury as her mind was overwhelmed by telepathic force.

"Word of advice, Mercury… _never_ mock my favorite movie," said Phoenix angrily.

The young mutant's metallic body became disorganized again and was soon reduced to lumpy puddle. Mercury groaned a big longer before falling silent. Phoenix flew in lower and landed next to her, making sure this rowdy mutant would cause no further problems.

The nearby civilians and the MSA operatives let out a sigh of relief. This chaotic incident appeared to be over. Phoenix didn't seem to share the relief. Her anger and frustration lingered, even after the threat had passed.

"You're only the third former Genoshan we've tracked down and already I'm sick of your bullshit," scowled Phoenix, throwing in some telekinesis to keep Mercury pinned.

"Whoa there! Take it easy, Jean, Ah think she got the message," said Rogue as she landed next to her friend, "Ain't no need to defend James Cameron's honor at this point."

"She's durable and unconscious. She can take it."

"That's just a lack of sleep, a rotten mood, and a bad time of the month talking. Let's not make this mission more frustrating than it _has_ to be," she said in a coaxing tone.

Phoenix grumbled to herself, her discontent getting the better of her. It didn't used to make her this moody. In fact, she used to deal with far worse. The Mutant Monitoring Initiative changed all that. Some were able to adapt. She _wasn't_ one of them.

After roughly holding Mercury down for a few moments longer, Phoenix eased up. This allowed the young mutants body to stabilize. After a minute or so she was back in a normal human form. This allowed the nearby MSA operatives to move in and surround the unconscious figure. After verifying that she was no longer a threat, one of the operatives placed an inhibitor collar around her neck. This ensured that she remained docile for processing.

"She's secure," said one of the operatives in English, "Cuff her and report to base."

"She better stay unconscious. She made quite a mess. My brother lives out here and I'm sure he'll vent his frustrations on me," sighed another operative as he put special restraints around Mercury's arms.

"She'll be out cold for at least six hours," said Rogue, "Just be sure to follow those guidelines Professor Xavier sent out. Since she's from Genosha, the folks back at the institute are gonna be _very_ interested in what she has to say."

"They'll be disappointed. I did a quick scan of her mind. She doesn't have much to offer," said Phoenix flatly.

"Hey, Ah thought _Ah_ was supposed to be the cynical one," said Rogue.

"It does not matter to me, amigos. We have our suspect. We minimized the damage. I'm okay with calling it a day," said the lead MSA operative, "Gracias for your help, X-men."

"No problem, sugah. Just hope next time we bring a nicer attitude."

Rogue continued to scrutinize Phoenix's demeanor as the MSA hauled off Mercury. They didn't linger to ask questions or harass the X-men. That was one of the benefits of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative.

Being part of the MSA meant being on friendlier terms with many of their operatives, even if it was a change of policy more than it was a change of heart. This benefit was somewhat lost on Phoenix, who tried to avoid Rogue's harsh scorn. She waited until the MSA was out of range before voicing her concerns.

"Do Ah really gotta say it?" said Rogue.

"I'm sorry, okay?" said Phoenix with an exasperated sigh, "I've just been..."

"Irritable? Restless? Crass? Hostile? Bitchy?" she suggested.

"Could you _please_ not rub it in?" Phoenix groaned, having to step away, "I haven't had a good nights sleep in weeks. I haven't had sex in over a month. Not _all_ of us have the luxury of going back home and curling up to our lovers, you know?"

"You know, they make pills and gadgets for stuff like that," Rogue pointed out.

"Sorry Rogue, but some problems can't be solved with pills and double-A batteries."

"Ah'm not trying to bust your chops, Jean. Ah was in the same position as you were, remember? After Ah broke up with Scott, Ah was pretty dang miserable."

"This is different...very different," said Phoenix distantly.

"Ah agree. The world turned itself inside out. We got a new institute being built, we got a new job description, and Scott Summers ain't nowhere to be found. We all knew this wasn't gonna be easy when we signed up for it. The Professor made it pretty dang clear that if we didn't wanna be part of it, he wasn't gonna stop us from leaving."

"I _do_ want to be part of this, Rogue. I never doubted it would be rough, but..."

"Before you start making excuses, let meh remind you that Scott is still out there. So is Logan. So are a _lot_ of folks who ain't convinced that this Mutant Monitoring Initiative will work," said Rogue, now grasping Phoenix's shoulder in a friendly gesture.

"Are we even _trying_ to convince them otherwise?" questioned Phoenix.

"Not with _that_ attitude, we ain't. Ah ain't gonna say we shouldn't have our doubts, but look at what we just did. We handled a situation. We worked with the authorities. We're takin' the first steps. We got a _long_ way to go. If we're gonna show the world and Scott for that matter that this can work, we gotta hold our heads a little higher. Even with a broken heart, you gotta keep moving forward."

Phoenix let out another exasperated sigh. For once, she didn't have an overly complicated reason for being moody.

Her boyfriend had left her. Her life as an X-man had changed so drastically over the past month. She stayed on board despite all the personal drama. Now she was letting that drama hold her back. As much as she was reeling from Scott walking out on the team, she had to move forward. It wasn't just because the Mutant Monitoring Initiative needed her. She needed to pull herself together for the conflicts that were sure to come.

Rogue offered a friendly smile to her distraught friend. Having been in her position before, Rogue could certainly empathize. She did have an advantage in that she still had Remy waiting for her back at the institute. Phoenix never rubbed that in her face when the situation was reversed so she had no intention of doing the same.

"You're right. I really do need to get out of this rut I'm in," conceded Phoenix, "But between the Phoenix Force going silent and my boyfriend walking out, I've got a _lot_ of baggage weighing me down."

"If Ah can lug around that kind of burden, then you can do, sugah," assured Rogue.

"Speak for yourself. You can bench press a tank," quipped Phoenix.

"Strength _and_ muscles is a luxury. It ain't a requirement," she shrugged, "If it makes ya feel better, Ah'll handle the de-briefing. That way you can sulk in peace."

"You're a hell of a friend, Rogue," said Phoenix, her mood lifting somewhat, "I'm sure we'll need that and plenty more to make this Mutant Monitoring Initiative work."

* * *

 **Xavier Institute – Present Time**

Melita jotted down a few extra notes as she continued walking alongside Professor Charles Xavier. His insight into the Mutant Monitoring Initiative's international efforts was an important angle. It demonstrated that this proposal had a truly global reach.

"So your X-men didn't waste time. You went straight for Genosha, attacking what people feared most head on," Melita surmised.

"This was deemed to be the most prudent approach," said Professor Xavier, "Uncertainty is part of what drives the fear of mutants. By finding those who feed on that fear, we can foster a greater peace."

"Peace, you say? I've heard the White House call it _order_ ," she pointed out.

"They are not mutually exclusive. Nor are they one in the same," retorted Xavier.

"But there is a difference. One I think that mutant you mentioned, Mercury, understood."

"Are you suggesting that the mutants of Genosha are correct to avoid us? That they're better off living in the shadows?"

"I'm suggesting that they may have valid reasons for resisting this Initiative," quipped Melita, "I'm not the only one either. The pundits and talking heads bring it up more than I care to recall. They wonder if the ideal you're working towards is obscured by politics. Perhaps that's what Mercury and mutants like her are running from."

Professor Xavier stopped walking so he could talk to Melita directly. She was not avoiding the difficult questions. She wasn't the first one to bring them up and she probably wouldn't be the last.

He was under no illusions. Professor Xavier understood the risks when he started pursuing the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. By teaming up with the authorities, he was tacitly acknowledging that mutants were dangerous. Humans by themselves could not deal with them without resorting to conflict that would destroy them both. That was what made the compromise so difficult. Many mutants, especially those from Genosha, didn't care to be monitored for the sake of fearful humans. The case with Mercury was just one of many that had plagued the initiative since it began.

"I don't deny that emotions have been running high," said Professor Xavier, "I recall conversing with Mercury personally. She was quite upset with the X-men. She believes that we're becoming what Genosha fought so hard to resist."

"Which is what? A tyranny?" suggested Melita.

"That might be too harsh a word," said Xavier, "What we do is anything _but_ tyrannical. Mercury broke the law. Thankfully, I convinced her to cooperate, which I've been unable to do with many former Genoshans."

"Is that why she was enrolled in the Academy of Tomorrow rather than thrown in jail like so many others?"

"It was our way of showing that we're willing to be reasonable. She severed her Genoshan ties because she didn't feel they were working in the best interest for mutant-kind. I'm hoping we can show her that our way can work."

"Is that the only reason?" questioned Melita, "Did she also provide some information on Genosha, the Brotherhood, and what that lost horde of dangerous mutants is up to?"

"If she did, I'm not at liberty to discuss," quipped Xavier, "I'm willing to be honest with you, Miss Garner. However, that honesty only goes so far."

Xavier started walking again. Melita lingered a bit, casting the powerful telepath a suspicious gaze. She expected some level of secrecy from any government operation. This was different. That was a fear shared by all sides. Not having answers only added to that fear.

"Excuse me, but didn't you just say that uncertainty was driving the fear surrounding mutants?" asked Melita as she caught up, "Secrecy doesn't ease uncertainty last I checked."

"As with all law enforcement, I'm afraid, some matters need to remain confidential," retorted Xavier, maintaining his confident demeanor.

"Then how do you expect to deal with the whole uncertainty issue? I doubt that's something people will overlook," she stated strongly.

"There are other ways of easing public concerns, Ms. Garner. That is a secondary aspect of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative," said Professor Xavier, "As Magneto himself once stated, mankind fears what it doesn't understand. Mutation is still poorly understood. That is why I made sure that the MSA and the governments of the world dedicated a fair amount of resources to researching mutants on a more basic level. This is another area where the trust I have in my X-men is a vital asset."

* * *

 **SWORD Laboratories – Five Months Ago**

Hank McCoy's curiosity often got the better of him. Sometimes he joked he was more of a cat than an ape due to his incessant desire to uncover the unknown. That curiosity helped drive his brilliant mind. He often pounced on opportunities to learn more. Sometimes this required him to overlook certain anxieties that reason alone could not escape. So when the time came for him to make a larger contribution to the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, he did so with a mix of excitement and concern.

"As you can see, we _never_ underfund our R &D department here at SWORD. Since our original intent was to investigate off-world threats, we've always had to utilize advanced technology from every possible arena. This includes technology from both crack pots and geniuses," said the assertive voice of Abigail Brand, "Under a new directive for the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, we've reorganized our main lab to become the central hub for mutant research. This is where you'll be putting that big brain of yours to use, Mr. McCoy."

"And a worthy hub it is," commented Hank as he looked around in amazement, "This is quite a collection of hardware, Agent Brand!"

"It's more than a collection. It's a network of all things outside the reach of the typical science buff. We're essentially the of advanced science, classified and non-classified alike. So you'll never have to worry about limited resources."

"I'm all for having tools at my disposal. Shall I assume that some of these tools have _nefarious_ histories?"

"Would that be a problem?" she asked in a somewhat cold tone.

"Not if we maintain a reasonable level of transparency. I share in SWORD's philosophy of using all available resources. However, I do have certain standards that I will not compromise."

"Famous last words," she scoffed under her breath.

Hank heard her wry comment and chose to ignore it. He was too enamored with his new settings to get into an argument with this woman. He could tell from her tough attitude that she was not someone to quarrel with.

There was no arguing with Agent Brand's depiction of SWORD's resources. This research facility was built right into the US Naval Research Laboratory in southern DC. The SWORD division was built underground and was by far the largest.

All major networks from military, public, and private research hubs fed into this area. It was shaped like a large beehive with nearly a dozen levels extending underground. Some levels were designated for high energy physics experiments. Others specialized in biology and chemistry. In the center of the complex was a large circular area where high-level experiments were conducted through a central computer array. On every level, an army of scientists were hard at work doing experiments and cataloging their research. There was a very military-like feel to this environment. Excitement had to be tempered with a heavily regimented structure since their work was so important.

' _She seems to think I'll be in over my head. That I'll be overwhelmed by all the resources at my disposal. I suppose I'll have to prove her wrong. Hopefully I won't end up having to prove myself wrong as well.'_

It was a legitimate concern, for Hank. Back at the Xavier Institute, he never had to worry about his work being put to detestable uses. As Agent Brand led him into the central area, he could tell that this would be different.

With all this hardware came concern. Hank noted all the advanced components he had to work with. He hadn't seen this much advanced hardware since his encounter with the Shi'ar. He noticed some of the technology looked like it had alien origins, which he surmised were materials from Genosha or Chandilar Enterprise. He and Xavier agreed it was best to keep that encounter to themselves for now. They would have enough Earthly concerns regarding the use of this technology. Any major breakthrough that he or someone else made was sure to affect how they handled human/mutant conflict.

"Try not to drool over these fancy gadgets for too long," Agent Brand told him, "This isn't your own personal sandbox. President Kelly, General Grimshaw, and Charles Xavier himself agree that we need to push harder in the mutant science department."

"On this, we agree," said Hank as they passed through some sliding glass doors, "The X-gene is still poorly understood. I've dedicated much of my life to uncovering its mysteries."

"I don't care for mysteries and neither do my superiors. The point of this arrangement is for you and any other brilliant mind to develop new tools that we can use to deal with mutants."

"By new tools, you mean…"

"Anything that our jobs _easier_ ," she clarified, "I don't care if it's a gizmo that turns Magneto into a kitten or a chemical that makes Toad's feet smell like fresh roses. If humans and mutants are going to get along, we'll need a level playing field. Technology can help with that, which brings me to your new lab partner."

Agent Brand led Hank through the central area, passing by dozens of anxious scientists in the process. He could tell that they were all trying to adapt to these changes as well. Some looked at him strangely. Others were indifferent. As they approached the central computer hub, one figure in particular stood out. She was a short, middle-aged Indian woman. When she saw Agent Brand approach, she stood at attention like a soldier.

"Hank McCoy, meet Dr. Kavita Rao," said Agent Brand, "When it comes to the hierarchy of mutant research, she's at the top of the food chain."

"Your compliments are always appreciated, ma'am," said Dr. Rao respectively, "Food chain or not, it's a pleasure and an honor to work with one such as you, Hank McCoy."

"The feeling is mutual, Dr. Rao," said Hank with a smile, finding this woman much more approachable than Agent Brand, "I look forward to combining our formidable intellects. If I recall, your name has appeared in the annuls of mutant research before."

"It damn well better," said Agent Brand, "She's the one that helped the MSA build the prison that contains _colorful_ characters such as Toad and Juggernaut. She was also the one that took those power-inhibiting collars that Cameron Hodge developed on Genosha and turned them into a viable mutant containment tool."

"Ah yes, I remember reading over your research," said Hank as he approached Dr. Rao, "Quite a fascinating concept, using fluctuating quantum particle fields to contain the manifestations of X-gene phenotypes."

"It wasn't as difficult as the math made it out to be," said Dr. Rao, "Since the X-gene manifests proteins with unique quantum effects, it was only logical that countering those effects would effectively negate mutant abilities. This allowed us to scale up the collars and create entire areas where mutant powers cannot manifest."

"Sounds like a promising field. Provided it's properly and ethically implemented," said Hank curiously, "What's the next advancement you're hoping to develop?"

"That's why you're here, Mr. McCoy. The Genosha exodus has created a high demand for more usable knowledge on mutants. We're on the cusp of a few very important breakthroughs and I hope you can help us achieve them."

She sounded sincere, yet ambitious. Dr. Rao seemed to prefer a low profile. She didn't make too much noise when she redeveloped the inhibitor collars. Perhaps she didn't feel it was worth getting excited about. Perhaps she had something much bigger in mind. Since Agent Brand made it clear that knowledge wasn't enough, it was important that he get involved with her work.

"Sounds like you two will get along just fine. I didn't plan on holding your hand for the first day of school so I'll leave Dr. Rao to take it from here," said Agent Brand.

"Very well," said Hank, "If there's nothing else to discuss, I will gladly get to work."

"Actually, there is one more caveat. One I'll continue to reinforce from here on out," said she said in a more apprehensive tone, "Your research with us is a _joint_ effort. By that, I mean you're not to share it with anyone not cleared to see it and you're not to work on it outside this lab. That includes friends, family, Twitter followers, message boards, and girlfriends."

"Seeing as how my girlfriend has been dealing with some personal problems lately, I do not think that will be an issue," said Hank, not daunted by her hostile tone, "Rest assured, I will deal with such issues on my own time."

"See that it stays that way," she said strongly, "We're doing some very sensitive work here and I wasn't on board with having you involved in the first place. Please don't vindicate my fears. We don't just _want_ this to work. We _need_ this to work."

Agent Brand made sure her words lingered. He had yet to earn her trust and he wasn't going to make it easy for him. Even as she made her way out of the lab, she maintained a suspicious glare towards this man. Charles Xavier wanted his people involved in their research. It seemed pragmatic, but it was also risky. Hank along with many others may not like the kind of work they were doing.

Once Abigail Brand left, Hank turned back to Dr. Rao. Some of Agent Brand's attitude was directed towards her as well. It set the tone for the kind of environment they would be working in for the foreseeable future. There was so much promise with all this technology at their disposal, but with Agent Brand running the show scientific curiosity would be secondary towards results.

"I hope these settings aren't as hostile as Agent Brand's demeanor would imply," commented Hank.

"She's what we at SWORD like to call the proxy variable," sighed Dr. Rao, "No matter how deep we probe into the scientific wonders of the universe, she's always close by to remind us of our roles."

"I intend to make such reminders unnecessary. Professor Xavier and I have already set out a series of goals for our mutant research. With the full faith and backing of the United States government, I look forward to accomplishing them."

"In that case I'll show you to our biomutagentic recombinator. I think you'll find it _very_ useful in getting started," said Dr. Rao, taking his arm and escorting him towards the north end of the lab.

"Marvelous! In the meantime, I would love to talk about the paper you published recently. I find your insight into potential _cures_ for certain congenital defects are very intriguing."

* * *

 **Xavier Institute - Present Time**

Melita had to slow down as she tried to write over the scientific jargon that Professor Xavier was using. She had never been a science buff. These issues surrounding mutant research were flying over her head. Most ordinary people probably wouldn't understand it either. She would have to be creative with her words to make sure the right message got through.

"So the X-men now have a better R&D department. Is that the simplest way I can describe this arrangement with SWORD?" asked Melita.

"It's simple, but I wouldn't say it's the most accurate," said Professor Xavier.

"I'll use it anyways. It'll save me the trouble of getting a thesaurus. This has to be tailored for public consumption, remember? Most people aren't going to care about the inner workings of mutant genetics."

"It's a vital part of our mission. Even if some don't care to learn the intricacies, it's important that we get this information out into the public domain."

"Americans don't like doing homework last I checked. So we'll have to work on dumbing it down for our failing high-schoolers to digest."

Professor Xavier chuckled to himself. Melita had quite the unenviable task of trying to communicate these very complicated matters to the public. These were issues that did not have easy explanations yet everyone seemed intent on a quick fix. Intensive research was the key, but that didn't mean the smaller issues should be negated. The essence of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative was how far it extended.

"You don't have to go over every details of our research," assured Xavier, "The goal of all our efforts has never changed. We wish to develop tools and knowledge to help aid humanity in co-existing with mutants."

"That sounds all nice and rosy, but for some co-existing with mutants is akin to co-existing with hungry grizzly bears," Melita pointed out.

"I don't think it's fair to compare mutants with dangerous predators, Ms. Garner," he retorted.

"Okay, maybe that wasn't my best metaphor. I'll burn my English degree from NYU later, but I think you get my point."

"Indeed I do, and it's not without merit. Teaching mutants to control their powers has always been a core concept of the X-men. The Mutant Monitoring Initiative is taking it one step further. Hank McCoy, Dr. Rao, and dozens of other brilliant scientists are looking for new ways to unlock the potential mutant abilities hold while minimizing the danger."

"Ah yes, the _danger_ ," said Melita, now starting on a new page, " _That_ we don't have to dumb down. I think everybody has had experience with the danger that mutants pose."

"And I hope to counter those negative experiences with more positive experiences," Xavier went on, "Confronting dangerous mutants and researching mutant biology are our most pressing roles. However, I'm also hoping to emphasize a more humanitarian role with the X-men. Thanks to an influx of support from the UN, the Mutant Monitoring Initiative has made it possible for mutants to show just how valuable they can be."

* * *

 **Southeast Asia - Three Months Ago**

There was a running joke at the UN when it came to developing countries. Trying to instill prosperity was like trying to manipulate the weather. It was an impossible task. Since the Mutant Monitoring Initiative took effect, however, _impossible_ was being redefined on a constant basis.

It happened only once every fifty years or so. A super typhoon of massive proportions formed in the Pacific Ocean and took aim at Southeast Asia. These were the kinds of storms that caused destruction on a level that set entire countries back. This storm that some were calling the Howl of the Dragon was on a direct collision course with the Philippians, Vietnam, and Southern China. It had the potential to affect Taiwan as well, thus creating an economic and humanitarian crisis.

On the westernmost island of the Philippians, the very edge of the storm could be seen from the local beaches. It lingered in the distance like a wall of raw destruction. Lightning flashed and thunder echoed in the distance, adding to the sharp winds that kicked up choppy waters around the beach. In preparation for this crisis, the UN was already present.

A large ship was anchored just off the beach where inflatable boats transported large packages of aid to the already impoverished region. Normally, they would also be assisting in the mass evacuation of the island. This time, it was different. This time, they had a valuable resource at their disposal.

" _Those clouds look scary, mommy,"_ said a three-year-old young girl in her native Spanish tongue.

" _They are scary, my child. I've lived here all my life. I've never seen a storm this big,"_ said the young girl's mother, who hugged her daughter tightly.

" _It's a big one. No doubt about it,"_ said a uniformed UN worker with a humored grin.

" _You sound pretty content. It's as if you don't even care if our island is destroyed by this storm!"_ said the woman angrily.

" _We've all worked so hard to clean up our towns and villages. We were just beginning to prosper after that corrupt leader in the capital stepped down. Now it's going to be wiped out?"_ lamented an old man, who had to lean on his son for support.

" _No…it isn't. Not today,"_ said the UN worker confidently.

" _That's easy to say when your home isn't being threatened,"_ said the woman.

" _It's even easier to say when you have powerful allies on your side,"_ quipped the worker, _"Just keep watching and you'll see what I mean."_

The UN workers remained calm while over a hundred anxious Philippianos watched the approaching storm clouds. They had all been assured that there was no danger. There was no need to take shelter. They were told to simply watch and wait, which they had been doing so for nearly an hour. It seemed the storm would hit them head on. Then as the thunder in the distance intensified, the worried islanders discovered what the UN workers were referring to.

" _Look! The clouds...they're breaking up?"_ yelled an old woman in astonishment.

" _They're moving away from us!"_ exclaimed a teenage boy.

It unfolded like magic. Through the dark clouds in the distance, an unseen force shot through to disrupt the swirling winds. The once ominous storm cracked like a giant piece of glass, allowing thick rays of sunlight to penetrate. It weakened the clouds, dissipated the lightning, and softened the thunder.

It happened so quickly and so dramatically that nearly everyone on the island stopped to take notice. They kept watching as astonishment as this now weakened clouds changed directions before their very eyes, turning south so that it would completely avoid the island. It meant that their homes and their livelihoods were saved.

While hundreds of amazing locals watched on, a figure emerged from the clouds and soared over the island on a wave of blistering winds. The UN workers recognized her and smiled. It was Storm and she was surrounded in a thick layer of swirling winds. This indicated that she was using her powers at very high levels. This allowed her to take on one of nature's most powerful forces and bend it to her will.

" _THAT WOMAN! SHE HAS VANQUISHED THE STORM!"_ exclaimed a little 4-year-old boy, pointing up as Storm flew over the shores.

" _I KNOW HER! SHE IS THAT MUTANT WHO CONTROLS THE WINDS!"_ said a middle-aged man.

" _WE ARE SAVED! HAIL TO THE WIND RIDER!"_ cheered an old woman.

A round of jubilation erupted from the surrounding islanders. Celebrations broke out across the beaches and in the streets of the surrounding towns. Some started dancing and singing. Others threw up berries and sand, making their gratitude known as Storm flew overhead. For the UN workers, no celebration was necessary.

"I never get tired of seeing that," commented one of the UN workers.

"What? Seeing a mutant stop a killer storm or the reaction that inevitably follows?" asked another, with a humored grin.

"Both. It makes our jobs a _lot_ more exciting."

The cheering continued. The anxiety that once engulfed the island quickly melted away and was replaced with relief. For the UN workers, their task was far from over. Besides diverting the typhoon, their primary mission was to distribute aid to this impoverished region. Now that the locals were in such a good mood, that task was sure to be easier.

As Storm passed over the beaches, one of the boats from the anchored ship reached the shore. On it was a large collection of heavy aid. There were no UN workers on this boat. Only one was necessary for this heavy task. Colossus, who was in his full metal form, stepped off onto the beach carrying two heavy crates in each arm. As he made his way towards the locals, Storm flew around and settled over his position.

"Another disaster averted, Storm. Well done!" said the Russian mutant with a smile.

"This one was tricky," she said as she settled to catch her breath, "I've never diverted a typhoon this big before."

"You will likely never have to pay for a meal on this island again," said Colossus as he set down the two heavy crates, "It seems I have much more heavy lifting to do in order to catch up."

"You'll manage. You always do when it comes to strength," said Storm with a smile.

"That's what Kitty tells me," said the Russian as he opened the crates, "Speaking of which, I need to call her soon. She gets rather _intense_ about checking in with her."

"I don't blame her. She's probably still not used to long-distance relationships. Seeing as how she used to criticize Bobby for having one with Lorna, I think she'll need to stay humble. We all will."

"Is that how you are making it work with this James Proudstar man you've been seeing?"

Storm blushed despite still being surrounded by swirling winds. The Mutant Monitoring Initiative changed their lives a great deal. Their relationships were certainly affected.

Colossus and Kitty still saw each other, but not as often as they used to. Between their X-men duties and what little downtime they had, it was hard to keep up. For her and James Proudstar, it was different. Before this initiative, they seemed to take a major step. Then the mansion was destroyed and many things changed.

' _Peter Rasputin, you don't know how lucky you are. At this point, you and Kitty probably have the most manageable relationship among us all.'_

Like Colossus and Kitty, she and James had to endure a long-distance relationship. It was difficult to keep up with, but for reasons that went beyond simply keeping in touch. As far as everyone else knew, James was still a regular teacher at the Academy of Tomorrow. She and many others suspected this may not be the case. The details were still not known, but since their relationship was still developing it would take time to unfold.

"Making something _work_ in this arrangement is still unknown territory for us all," Storm sighed, "Let's just say James and I are behind the curve."

"You are not worried, are you?" he asked as he picked up another heavy crate.

"Worried being relative, I think we're finding our way. There are always costs and rewards. So far, I would say the rewards are more than worth the cost of such work."

Storm didn't even have to prove her point. He had to abruptly drop their discussion on relationships because a swarm of jubilant Philippino children had run onto the beach. They quickly surrounded Storm and cheered her while others clamored around Colossus, welcoming him with open arms.

" _Look! The metal man brought us food!"_ said one child.

" _He must be friends with the weather girl!"_ said another.

" _Look at how strong he is! I want to be strong like that too!"_ said a young boy as he hugged the Russian's muscular legs.

Colossus smiled as he was overwhelmed by the joyful cries of the young children. His strength along with the aid he brought made him a real hero in their eyes. For a former courier of the Russian Mafia, it was a great feeling. It helped affirm that what they were doing was working and despite the strain it put on relationships, it was worth it.

* * *

 **Xavier Institute – Present Time**

"So you've added more humanitarian work to the X-men's resume," summarized Melita as she finished another page of notes, " _That_ we can definitely use. Saving impoverished people from destruction is a completely apolitical issue."

"I would certainly hope so. Mutant powers can enhance many facets of our lives. Humanitarian aid is one of the most valuable," said Xavier, now casually leaning against a picnic table in the back yard.

"If only we could build the whole campaign around it, but that's not the world we live in. Playing Mother Teresa will earn mutants some bonus points. I doubt it will be enough to sway public opinion."

Melita was overly pragmatic in her assessment without being too crass. Professor Xavier made it a point to emphasize the good his X-men did under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. That often got lost in the midst of so many controversies. Now that the X-men were working so closely with the authorities, there was more order to their efforts. It was hard to see that as anything but positive. That didn't mean Melita couldn't find flaws.

While his idealism intrigued her, it wasn't her job to share the best possible scenarios. It was her job to probe deeper. That meant tapping her own inner psychic for a bit.

"Let's use this humanitarian angle to paint another picture," said Melita, "The island your X-men saved was right in the middle of a vital shipping lane. It linked up with Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam, and Southeast China. If that vital typhoon swept through, it would have disrupted some key economic areas in addition to creating a humanitarian nightmare."

"Protecting the economy is a bonus," shrugged the Professor, "I don't see why that would be an issue."

"I didn't say that it was, but being in the world of the so-called liberal media conspiracy, I do hear people talk when they think nobody is listening. A few leaked memos indicated that China, Japan, and Taiwan lobbied heavily for the X-men to stop this typhoon. That poor island in the Philippians was just a staging area."

"I think that's delving a bit too deeply into conspiracy theories, Ms. Garner," said Xavier, who shrugged such a notion aside.

"I'm not talking about aliens abducting Elvis here. I'm talking about politicians and greedy men trying to protect their power and their wallets," Melita went on, "In my experience, when you give politicians power, they use it. The X-men, as you just demonstrated, are pretty damn powerful."

"Yes, but the Mutant Monitoring Initiative ensures that the X-men maintain their independence," said the Professor in a more serious tone, "I made that very clear to President Kelly from the beginning."

"I don't doubt your sincerity, Professor Xavier. Maybe you didn't hear that shortly after your X-men stopped that crisis, those Asian countries I told you about agreed to lower tariffs on American goods. China even turned over a few very dangerous nationals they had been sheltering out of the blue."

"Are you suggesting that President Kelly used me for his own political gain?"

"He may simply be reaping the reward. All he had to do was point the UN to a certain location, tell you it was a crisis, and the X-men took care of the rest. He didn't have to lie or deceive you. He just had to honor his part of this initiative you made."

"I don't like what you're accusing me of, Ms. Garner," said Xavier in a more defensive tone.

"I'm not accusing you of anything. I'm just pointing out some of the _alternative_ facts that didn't used to affect the X-men. Perhaps it's worth mentioning that these noble efforts of yours are benefiting politicians that couldn't care less. Never mind that at the same time that typhoon was going on, I was covering this massive earthquake in Iran. It was a disaster that killed _way_ more people than that typhoon ever could have. Your X-men could have saved a lot of people. But since Iran isn't in friendly terms with the United States, it didn't get the help it needed."

The Professor's demeanor changed drastically. He started walking again, needing to avoid eye-contact with Melita for a moment. She kept following him with her recorder going. She clearly struck a chord and decided to push further.

"I'm not trying to grill you, Professor Xavier. I'm just trying to be proactive. You have to expect this sort of thing in politics," she said in a less apprehensive tone.

"I'm trying to minimize the political complications of this endeavor," said Xavier, still sounding somewhat coarse, "My intent with the X-men has never changed. We seek to use our powers for the greater good."

"Intent never stopped politics before. I don't see this as being any different. That's why we need to confront these issues now before the talking heads of the world start whining about it."

"What is there to confront?" he questioned, now walking a bit faster, "I've been very open with what my X-men do under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. We work carefully to maintain an astute perspective. If there has been an instance where we've deviated, I'm more than willing to confront it."

"I'm glad you said that because that leads me directly into another little incident I uncovered a few months ago. In involved a couple of your X-men," said Melita, now walking faster so she could get every word of this.

"Which incident is this? All of the X-men's exploits have been public thus far," said Xavier, now sounding anxious at what Melita might reveal.

"This was no exception, but not _everything_ was reported. It directly relates to the X-men's close partnership with the authorities as a whole. In addition to helping the MSA, you also lend a hand to major law enforcement. Sometimes this creates a messy situation to say the least."

* * *

 **Miami, Florida - One Month Ago**

"FREEZE! HANDS WHERE I CAN SEE THEM!"

"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT RUNNING! WE'RE AUTHORIZED TO SHOOT!"

The once festive mood of one of Miami's most exclusive clubs had been shattered. This was supposed to be a private party. The entire top floor of the club had been rented and filled with quality liquor, loud music, and beautiful women. The party was just getting heated up when out of nowhere, the feds came storming in.

For many, it was terrifying. For someone like Carlos Caliaccio, it was as annoying as a stubbed toe. As one of the Italian Mafia's top bosses, he rarely feared the law. He had seen raids like this before. They were a part of life for every mafioso. While the weak and the stupid, the smart and the well-connected sat back and enjoyed the show.

Caliaccio had been sitting comfortably in a booth in the corner of the club. To his left was his attractive 28-year-old girlfriend, who was not to be confused with his wife. To his left was his girlfriend's 22-year-old sister, who was equally attractive and equally timid when the FBI swarmed the scene. Both she and her sister immediately ducked down. Most at the surrounding tables did the same. The FBI wasted no time in securing the area before anyone had a chance to escape.

"What the hell? I thought this party was _private_!" barked one of the Caliaccio's associates.

"Since when do pigs need invites?" said another associate that had been sitting at the bar.

"This is so not what I signed up for! My pimp is going to be _really_ pissed!" said one of the attractive women who had been dancing on the main stage.

"To hell with your pimp! I don't need Johnny law sticking his nose in my business again!" said an overdressed man in a hoodie.

"Hey! Save the bitching for your next album, Ice-T. We're _not_ here for you. Not _this_ time anyways," yelled one of the FBI agents, shoving a gun in the young man's face.

The commotion died down as quickly as it escalated. Within a few minutes, the FBI had every corner of the club accounted for. Nobody had slipped out. Once they made sure no one would pull a crazy stunt or anything, they closed in on Caliaccio's table. He remained the calmest man in the club. Surrounded by a couple of beautiful women and an assortment of six body guards, he still felt plenty safe.

"I think you fellas took a wrong turn at Albuquerque," he joked, "Didn't you pigs learn your lesson the last time you tried to bust in on my parties? I seem to remember six feds losing their jobs because of me."

"Don't try sweet talking your way out of this, Caliaccio! That annoying smile of yours is gonna be gone for good once we're through with you!" spat the lead agent.

"If only I had a nickle for every time I've heard that. I would've retired long ago and you guys would _still_ be busting my balls," laughed Caliaccio, "Seriously, what is it this time. You gonna hit me up for unpaid parking tickets? Speeding? Having hotter girls than you ever will?"

"Try murder, drug trafficking, and enough racketeering charges to put you away until the sun explodes!" barked another FBI agent.

"Oh please, haven't we played this game before?" scoffed the mafioso, "In your fucked up little world, you need a little thing called _evidence_ to convict someone of that shit. Last I checked, you pigs ain't got none!"

"That's about to change and I know how much you scumbags hate change," said one of the agents with a grin, "Bring her in!"

Two nearby FBI agents signaled towards the back of the club from where they had entered. They in turn allowed Elizabeth Braddock to enter with two more FBI agents by her side. She was wearing her usual X-men uniform, but now there was a special patch on her shoulder bearing the logo of the United States Justice Department. She fearlessly made her way towards Caliaccio's table. Along the way, some recognized her.

"What's this? The feds now giving free lap dances to hard-working Americans like myself?" joked Caliaccio.

"Boss, that's Psylocke!" said one of Caliaccio's consigliere.

"Psy-who?" asked one of Caliaccio's body guards.

"Psylocke! She's one of those psychics that works for the X-men. Since they partnered with the feds, they've been making major busts every other week."

"Keep your panties on. I ain't scared of no X-men. Especially one that looks like she belongs in a Bankok brothel," said Caliaccio.

"When I get through with you, you're _going_ to be scared," said Psylocke menacingly, "Just for that, I'll skip the protocol and get to _spoiling_ this fancy party of yours."

The young psychic glared sternly at the overconfident mafioso. He had the look and demeanor of a criminal who thought he was untouchable. Psylocke had encountered men like him before. She wasn't always in a position to humble them, even when her father was leading the charge at Interpol. Now under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, she could finally exact justice on men like Caliaccio.

"You think you have everything covered," said Psylocke as she stood over the mafioso's table, "Your drug shipments, human trafficking operations, loan sharking, and counterfeit goods are carefully organized so that you have zero liability. You've insulated yourself so damn well that all you have to do is sit back and count your money."

"Wow, you really _are_ psychic," said Caliaccio dryly.

"We're here under special order to find out where you've screwed up," she went on, "Last week you had three people and their families killed for honing in on your territory. One of them was an undercover cop so our patience with you is officially _nill_."

"You actually tried to get a snitch in my crew? Even if I did do it, I would have tortured the little prick first!" laughed Caliaccio.

"That leads me to the second part of that special order," said Psylocke, now grinning as well, "I'm officially sanctioned to scan your mind and uncover all your dirty secrets. Given your history, I'm sure I'll need a shower afterwards."

The prospect of someone actually reading his mind was enough to make Caliaccio somewhat nervous. Any mafioso could cover a paper trail, but no one ever taught them about covering their thoughts. Like many people in his business, he had some memories that he would rather not reveal to someone with friends in the FBI. Sensing this, his chief consigliere tried to step in front of Psylocke before she could begin.

"Now wait just a damn second there, lady! I know the law. A man's mind is _his_ property. You can't just poke your way inside!" he said strongly.

"That's gotta be illegal, right?" said one of Caliaccio's associates.

"That was then. This is now," said Psylocke, "The rules of the game have changed. Or didn't you read the fine print on the Mutant Monitoring Initiative?"

"Don't talk to me about fine print! You still need a warrant!" said the consigliere anxiously.

"I've got your warrant right here, luv," she quipped, forming a psionic blade and pointing it right at his neck.

Caliaccio and his consigliere grew more nervous. Two FBI agents didn't wait for them to get comfortable. They roughly shoved Caliaccio's body guards back into the booth so Psylocke had an unobstructed view of the vulnerable mafioso.

"You…you _can't_ do this!" complained the consigliere.

"I already have," said Psylocke, her gaze narrowing on Caliaccio, "Looks like this is going to be easier than I thought. Not only do you keep detailed records in a bank vault we can easily subpoena, you even have a special computer stashed under your bed with all your backups. Nice choice of password, by the way. OpenSesemeBitch is quite easy to remember."

"NO! Get the fuck out of my head, bitch!" yelled Caliaccio, shooting up from his seat in a fit of outrage.

"Why would I want to do that?" Psylocke taunted, "I was just getting to the part where you slept with your Don's _married_ daughter and stole money from his gambling operation. I wonder how willing he would be to expose your operations if we sent him this info…namely with an attachment of the pictures you kept on your computer."

At this point, Caliaccio couldn't be calm or overconfident anymore. It didn't matter how thorough he had been at hiding his operations. This psychic bitch could expose them all. If the feds followed up on the information she took, he was finished. Even if by some miracle he avoided prison, the Don would have his head for sleeping with his daughter. There was nowhere for him to hide. That didn't mean he couldn't run.

Now burning with anger, he grabbed the two girls he had been with and shoved them right into the two FBI agents that were standing to his left. Then he issued the order that no mafioso ever wanted to give.

"FUCKING MUTANT PISSANTS! JAILBREAK THIS DUMP!" he yelled out.

"No...not like this!" groaned the consigliere.

"Nut up or shut up, you damn pansy! You heard the man!" said one of Caliaccio's body guards.

The jailbreak order was well-understood by both mafioso and law-enforcement alike. It was a last-ditch effort by a high-level boss that knew he was done for. Rather than face jail time or the wrath of his mafia bosses, they decided to go out in a blaze of glory. That meant it was every man for himself.

Caliaccio's body guards took that order to heart. In brazen attack, they pulled out their guns and started shooting. Two FBI agents were hit, one in the leg and the other in the arm. They fell to the floor, allowing Caliaccio to run past them. Psylocke tried to go for him, but two of Caliaccio's body guards warmed her. Several other mob associates throughout the club followed suit, taking out whatever weapon they had and firing wildly in an effort to escape.

"THEY'RE PLAYING COWARD! TAKE THEM DOWN, BUT KEEP THEM ALIVE!" ordered one of the FBI agents as more shots rang out.

"Figures...we bring a mutant to the party and it gets ugly," muttered one of the agents.

The chaos unfolded rapidly. Every FBI agent in the club swarmed, taking cover behind tables and quickly firing back at anyone who showed a gun. The smart ones stayed on the floor and waited anxiously for it to end. Psylocke and the agents surrounding her focused on containing Caliaccio's henchmen.

The two body guards that attacked her tried to shoot her right in the head. Her ninjitsu reflexes allowed her to avoid their line-of-sight and with her psionic blades, she cut them around the back of their legs and delivered a hard blow to the head.

"Arge! You bitch!" yelled one of the body guards.

"Seems to be the only way you blokes know me," grunted Psylocke as she delivered another kick to knock them out.

"We've got wounded and witnesses!" announced an FBI agent as he shoved the consigliere onto the table, "Did someone get Caliaccio?"

"No, but don't worry. He's about to get an early hangover," said Psylocke, already picking up on some psychic chatter.

While gunfire erupted throughout the club, Caliaccio ran past two wounded FBI agents and slipped into a private VIP room. That room probably contained a secret exit, which was standard for most mob hang-outs. Caliaccio was leaving everyone else out to dry, but Psylocke was in no hurry to go after him. She first made sure that his goons were subdued, leaving the mafioso to the _other_ surprise that was waiting for him.

Caliaccio didn't look back, even for a second. Years of mafia loyalty were utterly nullified in the face of desperation. He had no clear plan and his fellow mafioso were not going to help him. He was on his own, his power crumbling in an instant. His only option now was to run.

' _Damn those fucking X-men! Damn those fucking feds for working with them! Ain't nobody plays by the rules no more! Even the law is fighting dirty! And they call ME a criminal! The whole world has fucking lost it!'_

Caliaccio kept moving as fast as his middle-aged body would take him. From the VIP room, he kicked over a TV stand that hid an emergency escape route. It was officially a fire escape, but he made sure it was concealed. The FBI didn't seem to be aware of it, otherwise they would have done a better job guarding it. Once through the door, he descended down a winding staircase towards a utility exit in the rear of the club.

' _Guess it's all survival now. I gotta find my emergency cash stash, hop any boat at the pier, and start sailing until I hit a place with no extradition laws. Can't worry about the wife and kids. Can't think too far ahead. That psychic may still be reading my thoughts!'_

Caliaccio was tantalizingly close to fresh air. The exit was just up ahead. He was already panting, having drank a bit too much earlier. For a moment it looked like he would have a chance. He reached out for the door, but then yet another unwelcome figure emerged from behind the staircase.

"Going out for a stroll, homme?" asked a very calm Remy Lebeau.

"The hell? Another mutant?!" he exclaimed, "Stay the hell outta my mind!"

Caliaccio went for the door, but Gambit didn't let him get any further. Using his bow staff, he jabbed the mafioso right in the gut and forced him back.

"Non, I don't attack the mind. Gambit can dish out hurt in so many other ways," he taunted as he slammed Caliccio across the face with his staff.

"Ungh!"

The once powerful mob boss fell to the floor, his face bruised with a couple of broken bones on top of it. Out of breath and half-conscious, he was in no condition to run anymore. The game was over for him.

Gambit stood over wounded figure, making sure he stayed down. His experience as a thief proved to be a vital asset once again. Caliaccio and all men like him always have an escape route. This was exactly the kind of route he would have used. The FBI overlooked it, assuming they could corner him before he ran. In his experience, law enforcement always underestimated the cunning of professional criminals. It was for that very reason that Gambit was left conflicted.

"I know you be pissed. Remy understands…more than you think," he said to the dazed mafioso, "In another life Remy would be in the same place you in right now. The world of crime be like a game of blackjack with a loaded deck. Every criminal tries to make sure the deck be in his favor. Some play dirty. Some play with honor. What disturbs Remy is that this time, the good guys were the ones playing dirty. I almost feel like Remy ought to apologize."

"These walls must be dingy. I thought I just heard someone _apologizing_ to a mob boss," came a voice from behind, "I know you were a former thief, Gambit. That doesn't mean you should have sympathy for them, especially blokes like this."

Gambit turned around to see Psylocke approaching. She must have caught up while the FBI settled things down upstairs. She heard his philosophical musings and the bemused look on her face showed that she didn't agree with them. Gambit could hardly blame her. She came from a family of cops. He came from a world of thieves. Now that he had been part of both it added to his perspective and the outlook mixed.

"Remy takes it the party be over now," said Gambit.

"The FBI is making arrests. Interpol will show up later to file their own set of charges. But you don't care about that, do you?" said Psylocke as she approached her former lover.

"Remy ain't never been one for paperwork. I'm a man of _action_. You know that as well as any femme Remy's slept with."

"Just because you've seen me naked doesn't mean I'll overlook your _questionable_ attitude," she said in a critical tone, "I hope you're not having second thoughts. The Professor was pretty open with us on this mission. Part of our new duties involve helping major law enforcement. I think taking down mob bosses is a productive use of our powers, don't you?"

"Remy ain't saying the world is better with folks like Caliaccio on the loose. Remy just worries about things getting unbalanced," said Gambit, who used his bow staff to turn the beaten mafioso over so that he was on his back.

"You're not going to get _official_ on me, are you? Saying that we need a warrant or that we should play fair?"

"Remy ain't no lawyer. I'm just saying we played dirty. This Mutant Monitoring Initiative be putting us in a lot of strange positions. We be playing by rules that be as solid as bad gumbo."

"We do what we have to," she argued, "We're still working within the law and that's our greatest asset."

"It also be our greatest weakness, non? The Professor tells we be doing ourselves a favor by earning points with the law. Remy just can't help but wonder that if we keep playing this here game, the line between us and folks like Caliaccio will get _real_ blurry and that's a game nobody can win."

* * *

 **Xavier Institute - Present Time**

Professor Xavier stood in conflicted silence for nearly five minutes. He and Melita stopped walking. They were now standing on the back deck of the institute. Having listened to her report of the Caliaccio sting, he was confronted with some unpleasant details of his ambitious initiative. This incident and others like it made X-men seem above the law. It made for some disturbing and unavoidable implications.

"I don't mean to belabor the point, Professor Xavier. But this information _is_ out there. It deserves to be addressed," said Melita, still holding her recorder close to him.

"I know," said Xavier in a flat tone.

"So how do you plan on doing so?" she asked, "That case is still pending. The law isn't entirely clear on having psychics probe peoples' minds against their will, even if they are known criminals. You're giving the government some _very_ powerful tools here and we both know that governments don't always behave ethically."

"It's an imperfect world, Ms. Garner. Working with the authorities tends to exaggerate those imperfections," said Professor Xavier.

"But are those imperfections because of the government? Or is it because of the X-men? I need to know where you stand here, Professor. Imperfect mutants working with imperfect politicians is a dangerous recipe. How do you manage it? _Can_ you manage it?"

She was really putting him on the spot now. Professor Charles Xavier was used to dealing with media scrutiny. This was scrutiny of a very different kind. He detailed for her all the good his X-men had done under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. That didn't erase the potential danger that was inherent in this arrangement. It bothered him in ways he would rather not articulate to the public.

"I'm afraid I don't have an answer to that question at this time," he said to her, "I can only articulate what I've been trying to reinforce to every party involved. The X-men will continue to be a force for good. There may be challenges and mishaps along the way, but we will confront them. So will the authorities."

"That still assumes that it's possible," Melita retorted.

"I've described to you what the X-men are capable of. I've described the research and humanitarian aspect. I've described the law enforcement aspect. I never said in any case that it was perfect. It is a work-in-progress and I have faith that we can make this work with the authorities."

There was a mix of frustration in his tone. Having made his main points, Professor Xavier turned away from Melita's recorder and headed back into the mansion.

"On that note, I think we should end this interview," he said.

"Already? I haven't even touched on the two X-men who left, Cyclops and Wolverine," said Melita.

"That is a discussion for another day. I don't think the public needs to dwell on that just yet," said Xavier in a more forceful tone, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a daunting set of tasks before me."

Metlia didn't get a chance to go after the Professor for more comments. As soon as he entered the institute, he closed the door behind him. It sent a clear message. He was not going to offer answers he didn't have and he wasn't going to stick around to say something he would regret. In that sense he was already behaving like an experienced politician. It was an ominous sign that couldn't be ignored.

"Well _this_ is sure to be an interesting story," she mused, "I imagine the newshounds will have plenty to talk about."

* * *

 **Oakland, California**

' _I never considered myself a news junkie. I've always operated under the no-news-is-good-news principle. For me, it's always been about the mission. I look back only as much as I have to. I used to rely on others to take these missions and put them into a vision. Now I have to think in terms of the big picture. I wasn't ready for it. I did everything I could to avoid it. Now the mission IS the bigger picture and I don't think anybody has fully grasped that yet.'_

Scott Summers hid his thoughts behind his usual veil of disciplined focus. He and Wolverine were standing atop the roof of a Holiday Inn hotel, looking out over the busy streets of East Oakland. The weather was less than ideal. The sun had just set and a light rain had settled over the city. Through a pair of binoculars, his gaze never diverted from the target area.

"We've been up here for an hour, bub. You sure Frost's timing ain't off?" grumbled Wolverine, who was reading a newspaper and working on a six-pack of beer.

"She's _never_ off, Logan. The target van will show up. I'm sure of it!" said Cyclops strongly.

"You trust her because you used to sleep with her? Or because she's willing to rip through minds in ways that would make Chuck and Jeannie puke?"

"It doesn't matter, Logan. We _need_ to trust each other. X-Force has to pick up the slack now that the X-men can't. Either we stick together or _everything_ falls apart."

Wolverine grumbled some more, crushing his can of beer and tossing it aside. He wasn't fond of Cyclops's black-and-white assessment. He wasn't fond of many aspects surrounding X-Force. The problem was that doubts had since become meaningless. At this point, they were betting everything they had on this team. There was no alternative.

X-Force was the complete antithesis of what the X-men had become. There were no politics or public relations. There was no institute, no school, and no training either. Their only focus was the mission.

Sometimes it involved confronting mutant threats that the new X-men overlooked. Sometimes it involved actively opposing the new policies of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. They had to break laws, live on the run, and carry out their work in secret. With Angel financing them and Nightcrawler teleporting them, they were like shadows. Their new X-men uniforms were black to reflect this shift. Over the past few months, this shift became more and more apparent.

It was nothing terribly new for Wolverine. He worked in shadowy worlds before and unlike Cyclops, he had to balance his work with personal matters. Mystique was still doing her own thing. Laura was still at the Academy of Tomorrow. So in an unusual role reversal, he often had to step back and look at this conflict from a more personal angle.

"When you get tired of staring at air, you should take a look at this article," said the feral mutant as he looked over his paper despite the rain.

"Since when do you keep up with the news?" quipped Cyclops.

"Since you found a way to be more a dick than you already were," retorted Wolverine, "This Melita Garner chick has been writing all these articles about the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. I ain't sure if she's writing in code, but I _can_ read between the lines. It says here that Chuck is aware that working with the feds has drawbacks. Says he'll deal with it. The more I read, the more arrogant it sounds. It makes me wonder if this shit is starting to bite him already."

Cyclops was silent and unflinching, not indicating whether or not he heard Wolverine's words. As the rain poured harder, Wolverine folded up the paper and rose to his feet. He kept scolding the former X-leader, trying to make sure he still gave a damn about Professor Xavier and the X-men.

"That better bother the hell outta you, bub," sneered Wolverine, "Last I checked, our friends were still on board with Chuck's plan. That includes Jeannie, who I _know_ has been a sore subject for you since day freakin' one."

"Don't Logan. Not now!" said Scott in a low, angry tone.

"Why not? Her getting caught in the crossfire should _motivate_ your ass. We been at this shit for months. We've helped mutants, busted heads, and ran up bird boy's credit cards. Yet we still don't have an endgame. I thought X-Force was supposed to prove that Chuck made a mistake. I don't see how this is gonna get us any closer. I sure as hell would like to do _something_ because the longer we wait, the more it'll stink when the shit hits the fan."

His assessment was crude, but accurate. X-Force was still operating on a low-key basis. There was no final goal or ultimate objective. They were simply the counterbalance for what the X-men were becoming.

Cyclops gripped his binoculars as he mused over the possibility that Jean and his friends would be hurt when the Mutant Monitoring Initiative went bad. There were enormous incentives to make a bold move at some point. It wasn't clear just what this move would be, but sooner or later they would have to confront it. In all likelihood, it would require the former X-leader to make yet another difficult decision.

"I see the target," said Cyclops, allowing Wolverine's comment to fall to the wayside.

"Always gotta quit while you're behind, eh Cyke?" said Wolverine.

"We've got a mission in case you've forgotten. That mutant Emma discovered is being hauled off as we speak. We're going to stop it and this time we're not going to be as discrete."

Cyclops put the binoculars away and gazed down at the street below. From a distance, he could see some operatives from the MSA escorting a scared teenage girl into the back of a van. She looked like she was crying. She was also flaring these hot yellow flames from her body. She needed help and it didn't look like the MSA was doing a very good job. So with his team in position, Cyclops sent the usual signal to X-Force through special encrypted communicators.

"They're getting ready to move. Check in, X-Force!" said Cyclops.

" _I'm in position across the street,"_ reported Warpath, who was in disguise at a coffee shop.

" _I'm in position from above,"_ reported Angel as he flew overhead from the clouds.

" _I'm locked onto their minds. As always, they've grossly overestimated their defenses,"_ reported Emma Frost in her usual vain tone.

" _I've got my shot. Just give the word and I'll take it!"_ reported Domino from another rooftop a mile away.

"Take it in 30 seconds, Domino. Nightcrawler will put us in position. As soon as the commotion begins, we make ourselves known," said Cyclops.

Every member of X-Force confirmed the message. As soon as Cyclops put the communicator away, Nightcrawler appeared up in a puff of smoke. With an equally serious demeanor, he grasped his friends' shoulder and prepared to begin.

"Glad to hear ve're getting a little bolder, mien friend," said the German mutant, "Zhe Professor vill surely take notice."

"That's not my concern. _Not_ yet anyways," said Cyclops, "We need to prove that he's making a mistake with the X-men. The best proofs tend to be painfully apparent."

With a confident grin, Nightcrawler teleported Cyclops and Wolverine away. Moments later, shots rang out. X-Force was on the move once again.

* * *

 **Up next: Walking A Fine Line**


	2. Issue 150: Walking A Fine Line

**Issue #150  
Walking A Fine Line**

* * *

 _In a world that hates and fears their kind, Professor Charles Xavier and the X-men once united against many sinister forces. Now they are united no more. In a daring deviation from his dream, Professor Xavier made a deal with the government to integrate the X-men with the Mutant Security Agency. From this deal came the international organization known as the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. Ideally, the partnership promises to help humans and mutants work together. Realistically, however, there are issues that have led some to walk away from the X-men._

 _The first six months of operation have positive for the most part. The X-men gained more respect with the public and the authorities. Their efforts to contribute to society have been a boon for Charles Xavier. At the same time, new concerns are arising. The X-men are becoming tools in political affairs that some argue will lead to greater danger. For those who walked away from the X-men, they have taken matters into their own hands._

 _While Charles Xavier joined forces with the law, a new team of X-men seeks to work around it. Scott Summers was among those who quit in wake of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. Now under his leadership, he has gathered former X-men and new recruits alike to form X-Force. The goal of this team is to do what the X-men are no longer capable of doing. Now they're ready to make their mission known._

* * *

 **Oakland, California**

Being a mutant was a mix of good luck and terrible luck. The lucky mutants were imbued with powers that made them stronger, faster, and more durable than ordinary humans. The unlucky dealt with powers that were unmanageable in that it either made them look inhuman or it made them dangerous to be around. In either case, they were still freaks that the authorities were obligated to deal with. The Mutant Monitoring Initiative further complicated matters because it took so many decisions out of their hands.

Allison Crestmere was just one of the many mutants who couldn't make those choices. Her secret was out. She was a mutant. She had been trying to hide her powers for weeks. Then three days ago, they erupted in a way she could not contain.

In the middle of class, her ability to control fire flared up when a teacher belittled her in front of her peers. That flare burned down half a hall in her school. Nobody was hurt and the only way she could avoid charges was to go along with the Mutant Monitoring Initiative's special education program. It meant leaving her whole life behind. If that wasn't bad enough, her parents were all too eager to get rid of her.

"I'll...try and call you once you arrive," Allison's mother told her as they stood outside the front door of her house.

"You'll try, but I'm sure something will come up," she said dryly.

"It's not like that, sweetie," she coaxed.

"Of course it is, mom!" barked Alison, "Could you _please_ stop pretending this is harder on you than it is on me? I'm the one being sent away. You and dad are completely off the hook and I can tell you're just _thrilled_."

"Don't talk to your mother like that, Alison," said her father sternly, "You know the law. This is how it's done now and I think it'll be best for you."

"Sending me away to a school when I don't even like school to begin with is hardly what's best. Did it ever occur to you that I don't like having my life decided for me? If you cared, you wouldn't have caved in the second the school reported me. Some parents you are."

Her words stung, almost as much as seeing the large black MSA van parked along the side of the street. Three armed MSA operatives were set to take her away where she would walk the same path that every other mutant had gone down lately. It looked more like a prisoner transport. Armed with only her suitcase and her purse, the teenage mutant saw any bit of control she once had on her life slip away from her. She didn't even look back at her parents as she started walking towards the van.

"You sure you want to leave home on a bad note, Miss?" asked one of the MSA operatives.

"Does it really matter? It's not like I have an incentive to come back," she muttered.

"If you say so," sighed the other operative indifferently, "I'm required to tell you that under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, you are not to use your powers for the duration of this trip. Please note that any mutant activity can and will be tracked and you will be held responsible for any damage it may incur."

"Are you warning me or arresting me?"

"You're not in trouble, Ms. Crestmere," said the third operative, "This is just a formality. Your parents have opted to send you to the Academy of Tomorrow. Since you are a minor, you're obligated to go."

"That doesn't mean I have to like it," groaned Alison.

The young teenager held her head low as she was escorted to the MSA van. She tried to hide her face because some of the neighbors came out to see what was going on. The long street of houses in Oakland was pretty tight nit. So when they saw that someone they knew was a mutant, it was a big deal. Judging by the way they looked at her, she wasn't welcome back in this neighborhood.

' _I get the message. They're throwing me away. That the easiest thing to do with mutants these days. Who are they going to turn to? The X-men are on the MSA's payroll now. They know we're screwed. They get to keep living their cozy lives while I have stay under Uncle Sam's thumb. I don't care how many people like the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. For me, it sucks!'_

Alison was silent as she was led into the back of the van. The area was walled off from the front seats and hanging from the top was a special greenish light. This was a power dampener, which helped ensure that she would not use her powers. She could already feel it affecting her. It didn't feel very good.

She also noticed that she wouldn't be the only one riding along. There were three other figures in the van, each were about her age. There was one girl and two guys. They looked just as thrilled about this as she was.

"Looks like it's going to be a crammed ride to the airport," sighed the girl.

"It could be worse. So why not try to make it easier?" shrugged a tall young boy who looked plenty restless, "I'm Grant, by the way. The cheerful girl next to me is Ami. The guy who will probably sleep through the whole ride is Adrian."

"I'm Alison," she replied as she handed her luggage off to the MSA, "You guys excited about our new lives that have been so _kindly_ dictated to us?"

"Like Grant said, it could be worse," said Adrian, "My parents are fans of that Reverend Stryker guy. If I'd stayed home, they would probably do exorcisms on me until I died."

"We still don't know if this will be worse," said Alison as she sat down next to Ami, "If it's all the same to you guys, I'd want to talk about it."

The three other mutants silently agreed with Alison's sentiment. Nobody was in too talkative a mood. They were on their way to a new life where their lives would be forever scrutinized. It was not rosy outlook to say the least, but what was their alternative?

Once Alison was inside, the three MSA operatives secured her luggage up front and prepared to depart. These transports had become routine since the Mutant Monitoring Initiative kicked in. Not every mutant was thrilled with the new arrangement, but there had only been a handful of incidents that got messy. Compared to how rough it was before, everyone in the MSA was satisfied with this new procedure.

"This is MSA Unit 16 Alpha C checking in," said the driver of the van through a radio, "We've completed our last stop. On route to Oakland International Airport with four new mutants. Will relay full report to the Academy of Tomorrow upon drop-off."

" _10-4, Unit 16. Proceed with caution and make sure report is cleared for processing."_

"Understood. Over and out."

The three operatives set aside their weapons and settled in for the drive. It was getting cloudy out. A light rain was falling over the area. Since it was late in the day, it could make for bad traffic. So with extra urgency, the driver pulled out from the front of the house and drove down the street towards the parkway.

The first ten minutes were uneventful. The van made several turns onto a moderately busy street surrounded by a couple office buildings and shops. The dreary weather ensured there weren't too many pedestrians. The traffic soon picked up as the van neared a major intersection. In the back seat, Alison and the three other mutants sitting next to her watched as the world they knew passed them by.

"So…anyone here know much about this Academy of Tomorrow?" asked Ami.

"Your guess is as good as mine," said Grant, "I hear it was once just some mutant prep school. Mutants would go there, finish school, and that's about it."

"That doesn't sound too bad," said Adrian.

"That was _before_ the Mutant Monitoring Initiative," Grant pointed out, "After the feds stepped in, they've imposed a new regiment on the school. I don't know the details, but the main goal now is to make sure our powers aren't dangerous and to monitor us at every possible turn."

"Sounds a lot like Juvenal Hall," said Ami.

"Why do you say that? You ever been?" questioned Grant.

"That would be none of your goddamn business, pretty boy," she retorted.

"I'll take that as a maybe."

Ami scolded Grant, looking ready to strike him for his attitude. Alison held her back. This was not the time to make a scene.

"Knock it off, you two!" barked Alison, "As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter if this place is the Ritz. Our lives are basically set now. Everything we do from here on out is going to be scrutinized."

"Guess that means I should do a better job of hiding my porno stash," said Adrian.

"I don't think we'll be able to hide anything. We're mutants now. The world wants to keep an eye on us and no matter how much it bothers us, we're stuck having to…"

Alison's brooding was cut off by a loud bang from just outside the van. They were pulling up to a major intersection when it happened. When it struck, the whole van rocked as if it had hit a major speed bump. Before the van could even settle, two additional bangs rang out followed a smaller bang at the front of the van.

"We're being shot at!" exclaimed the driver, "Activate the distress beacon!"

"You sure? I didn't hear any shots," said the MSA operative in the passenger seat.

"I know what getting shot at feels like! Now get your gun and do your duty!" he demanded.

With little hesitation, the three MSA operatives grabbed their weapons and stormed out from the van. Outside, the rain was falling harder and cars were still passing them by. They quickly assessed the situation.

They saw that three of the van's tires were blown out. It looked as though they had been shot out with a high-powered rifle. There was another large hole right in the hood of the van, which struck the engine perfectly to ensure that it could not move.

"The fuel lines in the engine are damaged. This thing isn't going anywhere without a tow-truck," said the driver.

"How the hell could anyone manage a shot like _that_?" said the other operative.

"It's not normal. That's for damn sure," said the third operative, "That could only mean one thing."

Before any of them could draw conclusions, a puff of smoke appeared on top of their van. From that smoke, three figures emerged. The three MSA operatives identified them as Cyclops, Wolverine, and Nightcrawler. Since they were former X-men, they were reluctant to shoot at them with their weapons. This proved to be a mistake.

"They're immobilized. Now we disarm them!" said Cyclops.

"Be gentle, herr Wolverine," said Nightcrawler.

"No promises," snarled Wolverine as he drew his claws, "HRRRRAAAAAHHHHHH!"

His feral roar echoed through the dreary streets. It drew attention from pedestrians and motorists still passing by. It also drew dread from the MSA operatives, who were no longer as reluctant to shoot.

"Open fire before he-AHHHHH!" yelled the driver, unable to get a shot off before Wolverine reached him.

The feral mutant attacked swiftly, slicing through the weapon with his claws and then using adamantium coated skull to head-butt the operative. It didn't knock him out because he was wearing a helmet, but it did leave him dazed. The two other MSA operatives watched in horror as their comrade fell. They quickly turned their own guns towards Wolverine before he could launch another attack.

"Damn it! Shoot him already!" yelled one of the operatives.

"Nightcrawler, that's your cue to get Warpath," said Cyclops assertively, "I'll make sure these guys play nice."

"Have fun, mien friend!" said Nightcrawler.

The German mutant teleported away in a puff of smoke, leaving Cyclops to take care of this increasingly volatile situation. Wolverine stayed on the move, drawing their fire away from the van and towards the now empty intersection.

They got off a few shots. Their high-tech weapons were more advanced than before, sending out powerful blue bolts of energy into the dreary skies. None hit Wolverine, but it caused surrounding pedestrians to take cover. To keep collateral damage to a minimum, Cyclops took careful aim with his visor and fired two shots. Each hit the weapons the operatives were carrying, knocking them right out of their hands.

"Argh! My hand!" groaned one of the operatives.

"I think it's broken!" groaned the other as he clutched it in agony.

"You're lucky that's all you broke, bub. We're usually a lot more _subtle_ ," said Wolverine as he approached the two MSA operatives menacingly.

"Don't scare them too much, Wolverine. We're already in Oakland," said Cyclops as he jumped down from the van, "X-Force has made it's point. We don't need to make too big a spectacle. We just need to make sure these guys understand before they take their nap."

"Nap? What are you…" began one of the operatives, but his words suddenly ceased.

The three ailing MSA operatives were abruptly silenced. This time, it didn't come in the form of an attack. Despite their injuries, they fell fast asleep as if they had been hit by a tranquilizer dart. By now the cars behind them had come to a complete stop. When shots went off, the intersection was effectively blocked. This allowed another figure to emerge from across the street, who had been watching from a coffee shop.

"Their shielding is as faulty as I thought it was," said Emma Frost as she casually crossed the street, sporting a trench-coat and umbrella, "They'll be dreaming of me and Domino having a pillow fight for the nest three hours."

"I'm sure they'll appreciate _that_ ," said Wolverine, rolling his eyes, "Probably won't stop them from branding us as criminals."

"That's what we _want_ ," said Cyclops, "It's how we're going to show everyone why Mutant Monitoring Initiative is a mistake."

"Speak for yourself. I'm still the public face of a school," said Emma, "I still have to protect my anonymity, which is quite a feat with my fabulous dress sense."

"That mean you're jumping ship on us?" said Wolverine.

"Are you kidding? This is the most fun I've had with my clothes on in quite some time," she said with a wry grin.

X-Force had made their point. The MSA had been subdued with only minimal violence and moderate disruption. Cyclops looked around and saw pedestrians and other motorists taking notice. Some were even taking pictures with their phones. They did not hide from it. Only Emma had to obscure her appearance with sunglasses, a trench coat, and her umbrella. Now that they had an audience, they could make their next move.

"Hey guys! Did we miss the action?" came a voice overhead.

Cyclops, Wolverine, and Emma looked up to see Angel flying in with Domino in his arms. Like the rest of them, Angel was wearing a new costume with a mask that obscured his face. They landed right next to them, eager to proceed.

"The hard part's over, darling. We were just getting to formalities," said Emma.

"Done in only four shots? That's too damn easy. I thought this was supposed to be an important mission," said Domino, who proudly held the high-powered rifle that had fired the first shots.

"It is," affirmed Cyclops, "You'll see why in a few seconds. _Everyone_ will see."

With a strong demeanor, Cyclops led his team towards the back of the van. Wolverine, Emma, Domino, and Angel followed. This team was his vision. They all bought into it and they were buying into this bold move he was making.

When they arrived at the back of the van, Nightcrawler reappeared. He brought with him Warpath, who had been observing from up ahead where he monitored the traffic. As soon as he emerged from the sulfurous smoke, he made a more hands-on contribution. With his superhuman strength, he tore into the rear doors of the van and ripped them open. They revealed four baffled mutants, who had seen the entire scene unfold from inside.

"There's been a detour, kids. The MSA had a change of heart," announced Warpath.

"Wait…this isn't some elaborate recruitment scheme, is it?" said Alison, "You guys better not be another Mutant Liberation Front!"

"Don't insult us. Do we really look that _crazy_?" said the Native American.

"Speak for yourself, Warpath," teased Nightcrawler.

"Not to sound ungrateful, but if this is what I think it is you guys are getting us in a world of trouble," said Grant.

"Given the circumstances, you're already in a world of trouble. Does it really make a difference at this point?" quipped Domino.

"You're not helping, Dom," snarled Wolverine.

Domino glared at the feral mutant, who shrugged it off as they all stood in front of the four young mutants. Warpath and Angel helped each of them out of the van. Domino shot out the mutant dampening field for good measure. Once they were outside the van, Cyclops addressed them.

"I apologize for coming off as hostile. We wouldn't have done this if we didn't feel it was necessary," he stated.

"Who are you guys anyways?" asked Ami.

"Aren't you Cyclops from the X-men?" asked Adrian.

"No…we're _not_ the X-men. We're X-Force. We're doing what the X-men _should_ be doing, which is helping mutants control their own destiny. I can tell that none of you are thrilled with your current situation. The Mutant Monitoring Initiative essentially decided your fate. Make no mistake. Professor Xavier and everyone back at the MSA thinks they have your best interest at heart. My question to you is…what do _you_ want?"

The four mutants exchanged glances. It was a simple yet profound question. When their powers manifested, their lives became tied to the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. They didn't have a choice. Now this mysterious mutant team was giving them another chance. Only Alison Crestmere was bold enough to answer.

"I probably couldn't answer that question _before_ my powers kicked in," she said, "But it was nice knowing there were still possibilities. If I go with the MSA, those possibilities are pretty much out the window."

"You don't think the Academy of Tomorrow would be a good environment for you?" posed Emma, approaching this girl as if she were a prospective student.

"I don't think school is for me. I could count all the A's I ever got on one hand and have room left for long division," said Alison, "I don't care if the school is nice or if the MSA actually cares. I'd like to decide my own life."

She spoke with a strong conviction. That sentiment was shared by Ami, Grant, and Adrian. They preferred control over their lives, even if it flew in the face of public policy.

"Yeah…I'd like to have that choice as well," said Ami.

"Seeing as how my parents have been deciding everything for me lately, I'd be a real pussy if I didn't take this chance," said Grant.

"My parents probably prefer me dead. So I'm either under their thumb or the MSA's," said Adrian, "I prefer door number three."

"Good," said Cyclops in approval, "Then we can help you. We know some people in District X who feel the same way we feel. We can get you off the MSA's radar. Follow us and you'll be able take control of your lives. You have my word."

It seemed somewhat outrageous, placing their trust in this unusual twist group of mutants. They certainly didn't carry themselves like X-men. In many ways, that helped their credibility. It indicated that they felt the same reservations regarding the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. They may be their only chance to escape it.

"So what happens next?" asked Alison as she looked around, "We're in the middle of a busy street and I imagine this stunt will hit Fox News within the next ten minutes."

"We've already made arrangements," said Angel, "Once we get you out of here, you'll disappear from the Mutant Monitoring Initiative's sights."

"And how do you plan on doing that?" asked Ami, "You guys got some fancy get-away car or something?"

"Actually, we have something better," said Domino as she turned towards Nightcrawler, "One that saves us the trouble of going through airport security."

"It vill still be a bumpy ride, mien friends. I hope you are ready for zhis," said Nightcrawler as he approached the four mutants.

"They made their choice, Elf. Don't make 'em second guess themselves," said Wolverine, "Just smile for the cameras and get us outta here."

X-Force stood without reservations in front of a growing crowd of civilians. Despite the rain, the sidewalks had become cluttered with curious onlookers. Some just watched in amazement. Others recorded the footage with cameras and phones. Under this harsh scrutiny, Nightcrawler teleported X-Force and the four young mutants away from the scene. Thanks to his enhanced powers, they disappeared in a puff of smoke.

X-Force had made their point. They were openly defying the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. They left behind a perplexed and anxious public. Just when it seemed like security had returned to the human/mutant conflict, a new complication emerged to show that this initiative wasn't as solid as previously assumed.

* * *

 **Xavier Institute – The Next Day**

"How much longer are you gonna make us watch this?" groaned a restless Rogue.

"However long it takes to get the point across," said an irritated General Grimshaw, "This is something we can't afford to deal with right now. It's also something only the X-men should confront."

It had not been a pleasant morning at the Xavier Institute for Mutant Research and it wasn't because of the General's foul mood. At their daily briefing, the General dropped some rather unpleasant news on them.

Some of their old friends and former teammates made quite a scene in Oakland the previous night. It wasn't a protest or a statement either. It was an act of open rebellion. They were the opponents of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative and they were making sure the public knew this.

In a special conference room, General Grimshaw had the large TV in the front of the room turned to CNN. Rogue, Remy, Hank, Jean, and Colossus were all present, taking in the report. Professor Xavier was sitting at the head of the table, looking more distressed than anyone else as he listened to the broadcast.

" _Recapping our top story, an MSA unit was attacked last night. Four young mutants that were on their way to Oakland International Airport when an unknown group of mutants attacked the convoy. According to witnesses, the group calls themselves X-Force. Video footage of the incident confirms that within this group are several former X-men. This includes Cyclops and Wolverine. While they did not make a statement on camera, they subdued three MSA agents and released the four mutants from custody. The MSA agents did not sustain any major injuries. There is no word on the state of the four mutants whose names are being kept confidential. Reports have been circulating that this act was a protest of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. These reports have yet to be confirmed. The X-men and the MSA have not made a statement."_

General Grimshaw muted the broadcast and confronted the X-men. He was silent for a moment, allowing the X-men to take in this story. The Mutant Monitoring Initiative had faced its share of obstacles since it was implemented. This was something very different.

"Refresh my memory, Professor Xavier. I distinctly remember telling you to keep tabs on your former team, didn't I?" said General Grimshaw firmly.

"You forget that I trained them, General. One of the first lessons I taught was how to strengthen their minds to resist psychic intrusion," said Xavier, trying to restrain his discontent.

"Now why the hell would you teach them something like that?"

"Because I respected their privacy," he said in a stronger tone, "It wouldn't be fair if I always had the option of accessing their minds."

"Fairness is the new F-word when dealing with matters such as this," said the General with a scold, "We can't have a pack of super-powered thugs defying our initiative like this!"

"Hey! Those _thugs_ happen to be our friends," said Jean, shooting up from her seat and staring down the irate officer.

"They also didn't hurt nobody," Remy pointed out, "Aside from messin' up a perfectly good van and given three MSA hommes a good nap, it ain't like they _terrorizing_ folks."

"It doesn't matter if nobody was hurt. This incident sent a clear message. They don't like the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. They're openly opposing it. Now I'm all for debating the issues, but in a civilized society we can't allow citizens to thumb their nose at the law."

"Is this really as bad as you're making it out to be, General?" asked Colossus, "I thought in America there was tolerance for those with opposing views."

"This isn't a simple disagreement. These _friends_ of yours are obstructing vital government operations. If they want to protest, that's one thing. If they want to debate, that's something else. But when they start working against us, they've left the bounds of law and order that make society work. Now I understand that the Mutant Monitoring Initiative has its flaws. However, we _cannot_ tolerate this kind of public opposition."

The General was putting the X-men in an awkward position. He was saying that their friends were criminals. Even if they supported this initiative, they didn't support fighting those who didn't agree with them. General Grimshaw was clearly upset. He had always been strict when it came to upholding the law. To him, X-Force's behavior was an act of open rebellion.

"What do you propose we do, General?" asked Hank with the same restraint as Xavier, "If you're expecting us to fight our friends, then I think you're expecting a bit much."

"I'm not telling you to hunt them down. Not _yet_ anyways," said the General in a calmer tone.

"Sounds like you're considering it," quipped Rogue dryly.

"That depends on how far X-Force takes this _protest_ of theirs. I may seem like a grumpy old man in a uniform, but I'm not senile. I know some of you have been in contact with your old friends. I know some of you may even be sleeping with them, which may be why Miss Braddock and Miss Munroe aren't here."

"I hope you're not implying that we're keeping secrets, General," said Professor Xavier.

"That's just it, Charles. I don't think you are. I just think you've been willing to look the other way. That way when men like me confront you, you don't have to bullshit me."

The Professor and the rest of the team to shifted uncomfortably. General Grimshaw wasn't psychic, but he could sense when someone was keeping the full story from him.

While some like Cyclops and Wolverine avoided talking to the X-men, others weren't so secretive. It was well-known that Ororo had grown close to James Proudstar, who was obviously involved in X-Force. The situation was similar with Warren and Betsy. Rogue also kept in touch with Domino and Kurt. It was a little hard to ignore that they had been involved with something lately. Now they were making it a public spectacle.

"There are some serious ramifications here," the General went on, "The report I got this morning from Captain Freeman painted a distressing picture. Those four mutants X-Force confronted have slipped under the radar. Even Cerebrum can't track them. They're four more in a growing list of mutants who seem to be avoiding detection. I suspect X-Force has their hand in many of them. There may be others involved as well. So I'm leaving it up to you X-men to figure this out. I'm giving you a chance with the understanding that if you don't do something, then I will."

"Does that mean you're going to treat our friends like terrorists?" said Jean angrily.

"Because if you're expending us to draw battle lines amongst those close to us, that is a fight we cannot support," said Colossus, making his anger apparent as well.

"I won't get into specifics. But if you're this upset, then you have a chance to do something about it. Do yourself and your friends a favor by _not_ wasting it."

General Grimshaw hid no subtext in his tone. He made it clear to the X-men that he expected them to resolve this. He walked out of the conference room with an unspoken encouragement, as if to make clear that he preferred the X-men resolve this because they were not going to like how he would handle it.

Once the General was gone, the X-men turned their attention back towards Professor Xavier. He looked beleaguered in the dilemma he faced. This wasn't the Brotherhood or the Mutant Liberation Front opposing them. These were his own students.

"Ah don't care if the law says we're on the same side. Ah still feel the urge to punch Grimshaw for dumping this on us," said Rogue, finally letting her frustration out.

"A punch wouldn't be enough, Rogue," said Hank, who shared her sentiment, "What worries me even more is his concerns are completely legitimate."

"Don't tell me you agree with him. The man just asked us to attack our friends!" said an outraged Jean Grey.

"Since Scott and Logan are not hear to calm you down, I may have to restrain you, Jean," said Colossus, who got up to coax the angry redhead back into her seat.

"You're welcome to try," muttered Jean under her breath.

"Please, my X-men…let's not make this harder than it already is," said Professor Xavier, standing up from his seat to address his team, "I know you all despise the notion. I do as well. But Hank is correct. General Grimshaw has legitimate concerns about X-Force."

"That don't mean we gotta agree with him," argued Remy, "We be hearing the stories from Stormy and Betsy. We all knew they're up to something. They just ain't given it a name until now."

"Except now our former compatriots are no longer content doing their work in the shadows," said Hank, "In the months since Cerebrum came back online, we've discovered a growing list of undocumented mutants. This list grew as Cyclops, Wolverine, and Nightcrawler became increasingly secretive about their activities."

"I also suspect that Warren may be providing them with resources," added Professor Xavier, "His father has been calling me lately. He says his son has been negating his duties at Worthington Industries."

"I cannot imagine that is going over well with Betsy," said Colossus.

"Well she did skip this meeting to go see him so I guess we'll get an update soon enough," said Jean.

"Same with Stormy," said Remy, "Guess this means we'll be gettin' hailstorms that go along with her mood."

"The effect on relationships is a secondary concern. X-Force may undermine the Mutant Monitoring Initiative before it has a chance to succeed," said Xavier as he started pacing, "Cyclops made his opposition clear. He believes we're making a mistake and he's willing to prove his point in a very public manner."

"So what do we do? We're not going to actually fight them, are we?" asked Rogue anxiously.

"I want to avoid that at all cost, Rogue," said Xavier strongly, "However, we must be prepared to oppose them as ardently as they oppose us, even if we must do so with a heavy heart."

The notion of attacking their friends did not sit well. Professor Xavier could sense that some were fighting the urge to yell at him. The schism within the team was a high price to pay for this initiative. They had made so much progress. There were still plenty of issues that needed to be resolved, but they wouldn't have a chance if X-Force undermined their efforts. So as much as it pained him, Professor Charles Xavier was prepared to respond to X-Force's incursion.

"The General expects us to act and so does the public," Xavier went on, "This conflict against X-Force is best waged in the court of public opinion. Right now, X-Force is attacking the weaknesses of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. The incident in Oakland demonstrated that some mutants don't care for our current methods."

"We have a one-size-fits-all policy that involves funneling mutants into the Academy of Tomorrow. We can't expect everybody to be too excited about such prospects," said Hank.

"That's why Emma Frost was quite upset with me when I got her school involved with this initiative. It is entirely likely that she is the unidentified psychic assisting X-Force," said Xavier, looking back up at the muted TV that was still broadcasting the incident.

"So my boyfriend and his ex are on a team that's highlighting a problem we're all painfully aware of," Jean summarized, feeling increasingly anxious, "Is there anything we can do that will ensure I get more than two hours of sleep tonight?"

"I'll start working with the MSA to institute reforms. It will take time. But until we have something to announce, we're going to scrutinize future operations. If one comes along where X-Force might be involved, we must be there. We must show the public that we're committed to making this work. In the process, I hope our friends are as intent on avoiding conflict with us as we are with them."

* * *

 **Boston – Academy of Tomorrow**

It was not unusual for the weather to reflect Ororo's mood. When she was sad, it rained. When she was angry, there was thunder. On a day like this, the conditions were mixed. Downtown Boston was already shrouded in an overcast. It was as if nature couldn't decide whether it should rain. In some ways that was a fitting analogy to what she was going through.

"James, I don't like what you're telling me," said Ororo in an exasperated tone, "I like even less what you're _not_ telling me."

"I wasn't keeping secrets from you, Ororo. You know I can't keep my mouth shut around you," said James as he stood with her at a park bench.

"I get that you were involved with Wolverine and Cyclops. I even get that you were helping them do things that may directly conflict with the X-men."

"Then what's the problem?" he groaned, trying to avoid eye-contact with his lover.

"The problem is you never told me how deep your involvement went!" she shouted, triggering a slight burst of thunder from above, "It's one thing to support X-Force. Now I find out you've been fully committed since day one. Does this mean these past few months together was a waste of time?"

"Hell no! I meant it when I said you've been the best thing that's ever happened to me!" said James, now shouting as well.

"So why are you telling me we need to avoid each other from now on? Do I not have a say in a decision that so deeply affects the feelings we share?"

More thunder echoed in wake of Ororo's heated words. James finally faced her, seeing that she had tears in her eyes as well. He went to wipe them away, but soon turned his attention back towards the Academy of Tomorrow. Ororo didn't understand why he was doing this. Looking back at the Academy that had given him a second chance, his reasons were painfully apparent.

The Academy of Tomorrow was a very different place after the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. He remembered the day Charles Xavier visited Emma Frost and detailed his plan. She seemed on board with it at first, but when he got to the part where he turned the Academy into a government supported mutant education program she got defensive.

Eventually, he convinced her that the Academy was the best place for the mutants they encountered to go. While Emma chose to go along with it, she and many others were not too keen on the initiative. He was among them and he decided to do something about it, which Ororo didn't seem to understand.

"Look at the Academy, Ororo," he told her in a calmer tone.

"Don't change the subject, James," said Ororo in a firm tone.

"I'm not. I'm making a point," said the Native American in a serious tone, "I want you to see what I see. That way you'll understand why I've decided to go all in with X-Force."

Ororo was still fuming, but she decided to oblige him. From where they were sitting, they could see into the backyard of the Academy. They had to look through an imposing fence that had been recently put up by the MSA. Through that fence, she could see a few young mutants causally walking around the campus. Some were on their way to class. Others were eating lunch. Then there were those just walking aimlessly, looking as conflicted as the weather.

Those conflicted mutants stood out most. Among them were Julian Keller, Sam Guthrie, Noriko Ashida, Tabitha Smith, Danielle Moonster, and Roberto DeCosta. They were once part of X-Factor, a mutant team that followed the example set by the X-men. Because of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, their vigilante activities had been curtailed.

For Ororo, the looks on their faces spoke volumes. They no longer had the spirit that once defined them. It had been taken away. For James, these mutants were the reason he decided to join X-Force.

"You weren't here when the ink dried on the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. You didn't listen to all the arguments I had with Emma, Dr. Nemesis, and Sunfire," he said distantly, "We're all passionate about this academy. We love it as much as you loved the Xavier Institute. But after the Mutant Liberation Front and the Genosha exodus, we were targets. We didn't know how we were going to protect our students and our vision. Before we even had a chance, Professor Xavier came along and decided for us."

"You make it sound like he went behind your backs," Ororo pointed out, "You said the Professor talked with you in preparation for this deal."

"He did. He was brutally honest about it, almost to a fault," sighed James, "He played the trust card. He said if the Academy didn't become the landing point for troubled mutants, then the MSA would make their own. He didn't want to see that and neither did we."

"None of us had a choice. It was a difficult situation for everybody."

"Circumstances are not excuses. We found that out before we got our first influx of students. Emma agreed to the proposal in principle, but in practice she was against it. If you look at these students, you can see why. They're living in a world where Magneto, Genosha, and the Mutant Liberation Front has made being a mutant dangerous. Their only option is to either live under constant scrutiny or come here for a government-sponsored containment program."

"That's a harsh choice of words, James," said Ororo.

"It's still pretty damn accurate. They walk through this school knowing that this is what humanity has decided for them. All their hopes, dreams, and aspirations are curtailed because everyone is too scared of what they may or may not do with their powers. This academy is now a dumping ground. I'm not overly political, but even I think that's bullshit. That's why when Cyclops came to me and told me about X-Force, I joined without a second thought."

James got up from the bench and looked away. Ororo remained fixated on the students walking by in the distance. Seeing their conflicted faces put this initiative in a new light. She never assumed that the Mutant Monitoring Initiative was without flaws. She just never saw the face of those flaws like this. It helped make sense of James's decision to join X-Force. It didn't make the emotional strain between them any easier.

"I think I understand where you're coming from, James," she said in a more empathic tone, "You're right. There _are_ problems with the initiative that should be fixed. But are you sure this is the right way to respond?"

"What's done is done, Ororo," he went on, "For the past six months, I've been working with X-Force in secret. Now that the Oakland incident has made it public, I've officially stepped down. I'm no longer affiliated with the Academy of Tomorrow."

"So you're willing to make that great a sacrifice?" questioned Ororo, her anger giving way to sorrow.

"For my students, of course. Hell, they cheered me on when I resigned," said James with a light chuckle, "Emma is still on board. But let's just say we've made _arrangements_. From here on out, I'm with X-Force full time. I need to be if I'm going to do the right thing."

"Then I suppose it's pointless for me to convince you otherwise."

"That doesn't mean I want to leave you behind," said James, offering her an affectionate gesture, "I don't want this to force us apart. In some ways, it's a test. It's a way to show that we're more serious than two people who make time for each other."

"I don't know, James. It seems a bit soon to test our relationship like this," said Ororo distantly.

"Well I've always been one to seize the moment. Before I walk away, I want to make sure we can keep this going. I believe we have something special and I'm willing to take a big risk to prove it."

With Ororo still gazing towards the Academy, James reached into his pocket and pulled out a small slip of paper. He had it all folded up so he could give it to her in a covert manner. He placed it in her hand and made sure she held it firmly.

"This paper lists a series of encrypted email addresses and communication lines. Warren set it up so we can keep in touch without anyone getting too suspicious. Now Cyclops and Wolverine are against this, but I trust you, Ororo. If you can return that trust before this is over, then we'll know our feelings for each other are strong."

"But how will we know when this is over?" she wondered.

"We'll know," said the Native American confidently, "Once X-Force and the Mutant Monitoring Initiative runs its course, we'll all know."

It sounded like a warning of sorts. Ororo finally looked away from the Academy and up at James's powerful gaze. She remained seated, clutching the piece of paper he had given her.

She had nothing left to say. James had made his point and she had nothing with which to argue. For a moment, they stood in silence. His gaze conveyed to her a depth of emotion that reflected the trust he placed in her. Such emotion was overwhelming. It started raining harder, the conditions now fully reflecting on their conflicted state.

Through the rain, James Proudstar leaned in and gave Ororo a soft kiss on the cheek. Tears formed in her eyes as she took in the feeling. While the rain was pouring around her, James walked away. Now that he was on board with X-Force, there was no telling when she may see him in person again. It left Ororo to ponder the feelings she had for him. As evidenced by the rain, they were much stronger than she imagined.

' _I understand, James. I don't like it. I'm not looking forward to all the heartache this is sure to cause. But I'm in. That's how far love will take. I don't know if X-Force is right or if the Professor is wrong, but for you I'm also willing to take a chance."_

* * *

 **New York City – Worthington Penthouse Suite**

"Back up, Warren! Can we _please_ slow down for a bloody second? I'm having serious problems with this logic you're using," said a frustrated Betsy Braddock.

"Who said it was logical? I just told you what I'm doing, Betsy. It never bothered you before," said Warren, who was moving feverishly around his opulent penthouse.

"We never even talked about it before!"

"Is that really my fault? You never brought it up. You were more than content to ignore it," quipped the winged mutant, who sounded annoyingly calm, "Now nobody can ignore it. This is happening whether we like it or not."

There was a certain smugness to his tone. Betsy wouldn't stop scowling her on-again/off-again lover. It didn't do her much good because Warren was moving back and forth within his penthouse so quickly that it was hard to make eye-contact. She was tempted to tackle him to the ground. Even that might not get the message across. They were at a complete impasse and it left her quite upset.

When news of the Oakland incident started spreading, Betsy dropped what she was doing and caught up with Warren as fast as the nearest flight would take her. She arrived at Warren's penthouse early in the morning to see him packing. The penthouse was almost completely cleaned out. Even though Warren Worthington III was not identified with Angel, he was acting as though the world recognized him with X-Force. That led them to the heated argument that had yet to be resolved.

"Seriously Betsy, what did you think was going to happen?" he asked her as he flew by with a mid-sized box in hand, "You knew I didn't agree with the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. You probably knew I was hanging out with Cyclops and Wolverine when I wasn't taking you out on all those fancy dates."

"You never gave me a reason to worry about it. If had known it went this far, I would have probed your mind in between foreplay and pillow talk," she said angrily.

"Don't give me that. I know the Professor had some inkling that we were up to something. You could have yelled at me at any time just like you're doing now, but you didn't. You chose the ignorance-is-bliss approach."

"Don't you turn this around and say it's all my fault."

"I'm not saying it's anybody's fault. I'm saying you knew something like this was coming, but you didn't do shit about it. You liked what we had. You liked it every bit as much as I did and weren't willing to risk it."

Betsy's scowl gave way to a begrudging awkwardness. His words were arrogant, but there was truth to them.

She couldn't deny that she had been living in a fantasy world for the past few months. Warren didn't hide his association with Cyclops and Wolverine. He never talked about what they were up to because she went out of her way to avoid it. She was enjoying the relationship that had been blossoming between them. Given her position with the X-men and his position with X-Force, it was bound to be a difficult complication to overcome.

Warren paused his frantic packing and confronted his lover. He approached her with an overt sincerity. He was not using these harsh words out of arrogance. He was confronting a painful truth that they had been all too happy to ignore.

"I don't want to be the bad guy here, Betsy. But something had to give and we have to deal with it," he told her, placing both hands on her shoulders in a caring gesture.

"That doesn't mean you have to be so _crass_ about it," she said bitterly.

"It's not crass. It's part of something bigger…something that goes beyond us," said the winged mutant in a more serious tone.

"In other words, going along with X-Force is more important than being with me."

"Betsy, if I _don't_ do this, being with you might not even be possible."

"Don't get _fatalistic_ on me. I know you didn't agree with the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, but this is not the way to fix it!"

"That's easy to say when you're comfortable working with the authorities," retorted Warren, "You're the daughter of a cop in the body of former soldier. This sort of thing works for you. But not everyone has the same respect for authority. For some people, authority has screwed them over in one too many ways."

"So why not work with it rather than against it?" said Betsy, "You're a rich, handsome man with so many resources at your disposal. You could do so much to fix these problems."

"There are some problems that money and good looks just can't fix. If you can't see that, then maybe you're not seeing the bigger picture. And for a psychic, that's saying something."

He was somewhat harsh with his tone. Warren stepped back from his lover and looked away, hiding his sorrow.

The tables had been turned on their relationship. Before the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, he was the one who couldn't see beyond his own problem. Betsy reached out to him and helped him overcome his limitations. Now Betsy was the one who couldn't see the issues that he had been experiencing directly with X-Force. This is left them at an impasse that they could no longer avoid.

"At first, I wasn't sure what to make of Professor Xavier's plan. I was content to be completely indifferent. It would have been a lot easier for both of us," mused Warren in a more emotional tone, "Then Cyclops came to me. He told me what he was planning. He was willing to defy the man who made us X-men. That's how strongly he opposed the Mutant Monitoring Initiative."

"And you think he's right?" asked Betsy, her voice becoming strained.

"I can relate to his position. The core of the initiative is to put legitimate power in the hands of the X-men. The Professor believes he can decide what's best for mutants. It reminds me too much of how my dad thought cutting off my wings would be best for me."

"This is different, Warren. _Much_ different," she argued.

"You're right. It's a lot _worse_ ," said Warren, turning around to face his lover, "Since I started working with X-Force, I've seen the hidden cost of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. Mutants everywhere are losing control of their lives. I've seen parents throw away their kids free of guilt, assuming the initiative will do their job for them. I've seen mutants go into hiding, fearful that any move they make. It's happening more and more frequently. Those four mutants in Oakland were prime examples. Their powers flare and _nobody_ tries to help them. They just send them to the MSA. It may not seem so bad from your perspective, but for others it's just wrong. So I'm doing something about it."

Betsy's lips quivered as emotion overshadowed outrage. There were a lot of harsh things she could say to this man. None of them could make his words any less valid.

He was speaking from another perspective, one that she had not considered. Even as a telepath, it was hard to see the unseen complications of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. It left her conflicted, so much so that she resisted the urge to slap Warren when he came to embrace her again.

"I know this is going to tear us apart…at least in the short term," said Warren sadly, "X-Force has plans. We intend to keep defying the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, which I know is going to bring us into directly conflict with the X-men."

"Sounds like you don't give a damn if we end up having to fight each other," she said bitterly.

"I _do_ care about you, Betsy. I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for you."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"It's my way of saying thanks for being there for me when I needed somebody. That's why I have every intention of being there for you when the time comes."

"Why? So you can say I told you so?"

"So I can see if this kind of strain makes you love me any less," he clarified, "I believe in what X-Force is doing. Just as you believe in what the X-men are doing. One of us is going to be vindicated. Or maybe neither of us will. All I know is that when everything becomes clear again, I want come back to you. If you're there waiting, then I'll know I mean as much to you as you mean to me."

It was a twisted way of saying he was still loved her. He was not the weak, sickly man that had once been so lost. She sensed in his mind that he believed what he was doing. He was fully committed to X-Force and he had every intention of proving Charles Xavier wrong.

It left her in an awkward position. She would be on the front lines when they found out who was right and who was wrong. Even if she believed in the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, she did not look forward to that day.

Warren embraced her again, conveying as much love to her as he could before separating. He had packed everything he needed. The movers were scheduled to arrive later in the day. He had no intention of returning until X-Force's job was complete. Hopefully, Betsy would be waiting for him. He hid sad gaze as he made his way towards the window.

"I could blow your secret, you know?" said Betsy before he could fly away, "I could tell everyone that Angel and Warren Worthington III are the same person."

"You could, but you won't," he conceded.

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because I trust you," said the winged mutant, "You know what that will do to me and to _us_. So I'm assuming you're not _that_ cruel. If you prove me wrong…well, then I guess that gives me one more reason to go with X-Force."

Warren placed a lot of faith in their relationship. It left Betsy feeling even more solemn. She didn't turn around to watch him fly away. Instead, she hugged her shoulders while holding back some hard sobs. Warren was using this conflict to test the depths of their relationship. It would also test her commitment to the Mutant Monitoring Initiative.

Betsy and the rest of the X-men had little reason to question Professor Xavier's plan until now. While they were trying to make it work, X-Force was trying just as hard to prove them wrong. The lines had been drawn. X-Force was poised to oppose the X-men. They both couldn't be right so something had to give. Only time would tell when and how this conflict would be resolved.

* * *

 **Unknown Location**

' _It used to be a running joke. Scott Summers was the guy with the proverbial stick up his ass. He lived, slept, and ate by the rules. He always did what he's told. He never questions authority. Now I guess the jokes on them because I'm doing something that's so against the rules that I'm technically a fugitive. Now that I've made my first critical decision, it's my responsibility to make sure X-Force succeeds.'_

Scott Summers wasn't living by the rules anymore. In fact, the core of his new mission was to oppose the prevailing rules. It made him and those that followed him outlaws. As such, they had to live like outlaws.

Now that X-Force had a public face, they had to live off the grid and away from the scrutiny of the authorities. Since the X-men and the MSA had Cerebrum on their side, there weren't too many places for them to hide.

Of the few places equipped to avoid such scrutiny, Nova Roma was the most robust. It was remote and well-equipped, providing a solid defense against psychic intrusion. It certainly helped that mutants were more welcome since the battle against Selene. With the addition of Margali's influence and Warren's money, X-Force could set up shop in an unmarked building nestled on the south side of the city.

The building was once used by the Praetorian Guard. It had since been turned into a storage area for unused or outdated military equipment. The Nova Roman Senate was more than happy for them to take it off their hands, provided they didn't need to deny or confirm their activities to outsiders.

Over the past few months, Scott had been working with little rest to turn this facility into a fully equipped base of operations. He and his team scrapped together some of the unused computer components to create their own mini-Cerebrum. Thanks to advanced Nova Roman technology, they had access to the information they needed to do what needed to be done.

With some outside help from some trusted parties that wasn't entirely legal, they had nearly as much access as the MSA. It was all centered around a central area modeled after the War Room in the Xavier Institute. This is where Scott met up with his new team to discuss their next move.

"Where the hell have you been, Slim? We've been waiting on your ass for over an hour!" greeted Logan, who was in his usual foul mood.

"Nice to see you too, Logan. Have Warren and James returned?" asked Scott as he emerged through the main entrance.

"They're in as bad a mood as me so you better have something productive to say," retorted the feral mutant.

"Don't listen to him, Scott," said Warren, who was sitting on a couch with James, "I just got back from a fight with my girlfriend and I'm still not _that_ grumpy."

"If anything, but Logan's sunny disposition made me feel better after parting ways with Ororo," said James with a bemused grin.

"You guys are assholes," muttered Logan.

"Speak for yourself," quipped Domino, who casually was cleaning her rifle.

"Not to defend Logan's mood, but he has a good reason for being upset. The stakes have changed with X-Force. We're no longer a poorly kept secret. That's what we're here to address," said Scott as he approached his teammates.

"I'm all for high stakes, but why now?" asked Domino as she set her gun aside, "I thought were doing plenty of good beforehand. We helped desperate mutants avoid the MSA and hide from Xavier's mind games."

"It wasn't enough, Domino. Just helping a handful of mutants isn't going to change anything. We need to make a bigger statement," said Scott.

"Well you've compromised some of our identities and cost some of us our jobs," James pointed out.

"And possibly our girlfriends," Warren added.

"That too, and technically we're fugitives," James went on, "We're not on the top ten most wanted list, but the media and the MSA have definitely taken notice."

"That's the point, James. We've all had to make sacrifices to get our message across. Now the world knows there's a legitimate opposition to Professor Xavier's Mutant Monitoring Initiative. The next step is to make our point."

"And just how are you planning to do that, bub?" asked Logan, his impatience still apparent.

"That's exactly what Emma Frost is working on as we speak," said Scott assertively.

The X-Force leader turned his attention to the center of the room. Logan, Domino, Warren, and James followed him as they approached the central computer they had set up.

It was shaped like a doughnut with a special projector in the center. It projected a crude, but usable holographic image for them to see. Sitting at main console was Emma Frost. She was deep in concentration, wearing a special helmet that was wired into the console. It was not as refined or powerful as Cerebrum, but they didn't need it to be.

"I hope you all aren't looking over my shoulder again. Using this shoddy incarnation of Cerebrum can't be rushed," said Emma as they approached.

"Trust me, Frost. Nobody looks at your shoulder," said Logan with a suggestive undertone.

"You're as charming as you are moody, Logan," quipped Emma, "I'm glad I managed to cover my involvement with X-Force. It would definitely hurt my credibility back at the Academy."

"So that alibi you mentioned worked?" asked Scott.

"As well as I hoped it would," said the powerful telepath, "My darling Cuckoos are competent psychics. They were able to plant telepathic suggestions into everyone's mind. As far as they're concerned, I never left the campus."

"What if someone brings a camera? You know how some of your male students aren't shy about snapping pictures of you for their Facebook pages," grinned Domino.

"I've got that covered as well. One of my new students, Morph, has been more than happy to cover for me. I also made it clear that if he took advantage of my position or my appearance, the Cuckoos had permission to melt his brain."

"If he's smart, he won't test them," said Scott, maintaining a serious tone, "It's important that one of us remains in a legitimate public position. We'll need the insight and the access if we're to make our next move."

"How far do you plan on taking it this time?" asked Warren, "We've already made ourselves targets. We won't have the stealth advantage anymore."

"We won't be needing it. For our next mission, we have to be visible to a certain extent."

"And why is that? So we can smile for the cameras again?" asked James.

"No. It's so we can confront the X-men in a very public way," said Scott.

This came as quite a surprise. Since X-Force began, they made a significant effort to avoid clashing with their friends and former teammates. The idea of purposefully fighting Charles Xavier and the X-men didn't sit well. Scott seemed dead serious about it and didn't shy away from it.

"Back up, Summers! I didn't sign up for that shit," barked Logan, "I still think Chuck has lost his damn mind, but I ain't picking a fight with him!"

"Calm down, Logan. I didn't say we would be _fighting_ them. I just said we would _confront_ them," Scott explained, "My decision to make ourselves public didn't come from nowhere. I planned on doing something like this as soon as our base was fully operational. Since creating our own mini-Cerebrum took longer than I thought, we had to bide our time."

"Exactly how did you get your hands on Cerebrum technology again?" asked James.

"I'd rather not say," said Scott, "For now, assume it was as legitimate as using Nova Roma's networks to hack every mutant database on the planet. Now that we're officially linked in, we can stay on top of the MSA and the X-men. That way when they take on the next mutant threat, we'll be ready."

"This is the primary task my charming ex-boyfriend has given me while the rest of you enjoy your tropical getaway in Nova Roma," said Emma, "Charles was always better at me when it came to processing minds on a global scale. However, we need only one mutant incident with the right set of circumstances."

"Define the _right_ circumstances," said Domino.

"The kind that will put the X-men and the MSA in a difficult position," said Scott, "Remember those mutants we saved in Oakland? Picture something like that, but with the potential for more explosions."

"In other words, meet up with Chuck when he's bound to make another bone-headed decision," Logan summarized.

"After what he's done over the past six months, that's actually as easy as it sounds," said Warren.

"Say we do drop in and upstage the X-men. What's _that_ gonna solve?" said James skeptically.

"It's not going to _solve_ our problems, Warpath," said Scott, "It's another step we need to take towards showing that the Mutant Monitoring Initiative is doing more harm than good. We need to make it count because it's already doing more harm than anyone cares to admit. Especially if the situation we've been tracking in District X gets worse."

Scott turned towards Emma and nodded, which prompted her to bring up a new image on the central hologram. She had to hide her disgust for this part. One of the other major reasons she joined X-Force went beyond simply protecting her Academy. The Mutant Monitoring Initiative had created many unintended consequences, one of which involved a man she hoped had stayed dead.

On the holographic screen, an image of Sebastian Shaw emerged. It was an image that made Warren groan and Logan snarl. Shaw had a knack for making any crisis worse and this was once instance where his schemes could do a lot of damage.

"We're operating under the assumption that this man, Sebastian Shaw, is going to exploit this situation in an obscenely terrible way," said Scott, " _This_ is the true cost of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. _This_ is what X-Force must stop."

"God damn it, I wish I stabbed that scumbag harder," grunted Logan.

"Next time, be sure to _decapitate_ him. He's giving us morethan enough reasons," said Emma coldly, "My old BFF, Tessa, told me about Shaw's little visit to District X six months ago. He's been making headway ever since, convincing mutants to skip the Mutant Monitoring Initiative controversy and join him for whatever sadistic venture he's concocted."

"For a price, of course," said Warren.

"With Shaw, there's _always_ a price," said Emma, reminding herself of the high price she had paid because of this man, "The problem is there are many mutants willing to pay it. He's offering them jobs and some strange hardware that allows them to evade Cerebrum's detection."

"So he's doing our job and making money off it," said Domino, "It's a dick move, but pretty damn smart."

"There's nothing smart about it. He's not doing this to oppose the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. Shaw is never that _charitable_ ," said Scott, "He's working an angle. We just can't figure it out. Neither can Tessa."

"If Shaw has that kind of pull, then shouldn't the X-men know about it?" asked James, remembering all too clearly how rough his encounter with Shaw had been.

"Tessa is sleeping with Hank McCoy. Of course they know," said Emma dryly, "They're just not in a position to do anything about it. Nobody is. Shaw is too good at covering his tracks."

"And since the X-men are now tied to politics, we can assume they'll have too much in their way," surmised Warren, "I know how Shaw works. He has half of Congress in his back pocket."

"It may be worse than that," said Scott, "The timing of Shaw's return is too convenient. I suspect he may have a bigger hand in exploiting the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. I don't think the Professor or the X-men will realize it until it's too late. That's why we have to act fast. The only way we can prevent this initiative from doing irreparable harm to us all is to stop it cold in its tracks."

"Even it means bumping heads with our friends, huh?" said Logan, who still had reservations.

" _Especially_ if it means bumping heads with our friends," he affirmed.

Scott painted a pretty grim picture. The stakes for X-Force were high enough. Adding Sebastian Shaw into the conflict promised all kinds of horrors. The hardest part of all was actively opposing the X-men.

Professor Xavier genuinely believed he was doing good with the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. He wouldn't realize the problems created by men like Shaw until it was too late. For the sake of their friends and mutants in general, they had to succeed in their mission.

Now that the team knew what they were in for, Scott turned around to make his leave. X-Force now understood what they would have to do and why they would have to do it. He still sensed some wariness, but that was probably a good thing. X-Force needed that kind of mentality to avoid the arrogance that Professor Xavier had succumbed to.

"Now that you know what we have planned, you know what to prepare for," said Scott while he was on his way out, "As soon as Emma detects the right activity, drop what you're doing and move out!"

"We'll be ready, Scott. What will you be up to in the meantime?" asked Warren.

"Meeting up with Kurt and checking in on the mutants we've freed. If we're going to succeed in any of this, we'll need to make friends and allies every step of the way."

* * *

 **Portland, Oregon**

Staring a new life and leaving behind an old life wasn't supposed to be easy. However, was somewhat more tolerable when an old life wasn't worth saving to begin with. Alison Crestmere didn't care much for her old life anymore. She had never gotten along with her parents. Having also been expelled from school, there was little reason for her to go back. So the prospect of a new life was appealing.

It had been a bumpy ride since and three fellow mutants escaped from the MSA. Thanks to X-Force, they laid low and waited for the heat to die down. For the past few days, they lived in a safe house set up by X-Force. From this safe house, X-Force was somehow able to block the Mutant Monitoring Initiative from detecting them. They didn't explain how, but Alison could care less so long as it meant she had a second chance. Grant, Ami, and Adrian seemed to share that sentiment as they prepared to start anew.

"I just spoke vith Cyclops. He confirmed zhat zhe MSA has halted their search. As far as zhe rest of zhe world is concerned, zhe four of you have vanished vithout a trace," said Kurt Wagner, who addressed Alison and her three friends.

"Does that mean we can finally stop hiding in this dump?" asked Adrian.

"I don't know. This place is a lot nicer than my old room at juvie," said Ami, who was munching on a candy bar.

"It's not the worst house I've stayed in, but I wouldn't mind a change in scenery," said Grant.

"Vell ve never had any intention of keeping you here indefinitely," Kurt went on, "In addition to keeping track of zhe MSA, my friends have been vorking on new identities for you. Ve have made all zhe necessary arrangements. You have new identities, a new background, and a new life to do vith as you please. I have zhe paperwork vith me. Be sure to keep track of zhis. Zhere is also a few hundred dollars in cash to get you started."

Kurt, who arrived with several files in hand, passed out these new documents to the young mutants. They each took a moment to look them over. They all looked clean and legitimate. They completely separated them from their old lives. In a way, it was liberating. It was also somewhat daunting, knowing that they a clean slate before them.

"I'm all for new beginnings, but what about our powers?" asked Alison, "How are we going to prevent the MSA from tracking us again if our powers flare up?"

"I vas just getting to zhat," said Kurt as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a series of watch-like devices, "In addition to your papers, ve are also giving you some special dampeners. Do not ask how ve obtained zhem or how zhey vork. All you need to know is zhey block Cerebrum's scans."

"I'm all for staying hidden, but do they have to look so tacky?" complained Grant.

"What's more important? Not looking tacky or living your own life?" quipped Adrian as he eagerly took one of the devices.

"They could have Hello Kitty stickers on it for all I care. So long as they work, I'll take it," said Ami.

"Oh zhey vill vork," assured Kurt, "However, you can still cause a stir vith your powers. Zhat is vhy it is important you be responsible. X-Force does not have zhe time or resources to rescue someone twice."

"We don't need a lecture about responsibility," said Alison, "We all know the price we'll pay if we get cocky. If it makes you feel better, I'll keep in touch with these guys and make sure they stay in line."

"That's awfully generous/crude of you, Alison," said Grant dryly.

"It is also a good idea," added Kurt, "Zhe four of you should keep in touch. In zhose files, zhere is also contact information for other mutant groups such as District X. Zhey should be able to help you should you need it. I von't say zhis new life of yours is going to be easy, but as mutants you have great potential. I vish you luck in realizing it."

Alison, Grant, Ami, and Adrian took another moment to process this. It was happening so quickly, going from normal humans to mutants like this. They nearly lost control of their lives. Then X-Force gave them a second chance. With these materials, they had both the resources and the incentives. It was up to them to make the most of it.

Now that they had everything they needed, the four mutants were ready to part ways with X-Force. While the others contemplated what they would do with their new lives, Alison took a moment to confront Kurt. Since Ami, Grant, and Adrian weren't going to thank him appropriately, she took it upon herself to thank him for what he had done for them.

"Thank you, Kurt Wagner," she said graciously, "I know we're all pretty jaded, but we really do appreciate what you and X-Force are doing."

"I'll say! I'll terminate my X-men fan club membership as soon as I get a place," said Grant.

"No thanks are necessary," said Kurt, "All is not lost vith zhe X-men. Ve are just doing vhat needs to be done until sanity returns."

"Well even if it doesn't, you guys are doing important work here," Alison went on, "You see things from our perspective. We're mutants, but we just want to live our lives. By giving us a chance to do so, you're more than just heroes."

Alison smiled at the German mutant and gave him a warm hug. This didn't surprise Kurt too much at first, but then she added a kiss to the cheek. It caught him off guard, causing him to blush in a way that was apparent even with his blue skin. An awkward grin lingered on his face even after Alison parted and followed the others out through the main staircase. Along the way, they couldn't help but tease her.

"Didn't know you were that kinky, Alison," teased Grant.

"I'm from Japan and even I've never seen _that_ fetish," said Ami.

"Get your heads out of the gutter, guys," said Alison with a grin, "With crap like the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, we need to let X-Force know they're doing the right thing. It sure as hell can't be easy, but it helps us all if they succeed."

The grin on Kurt's face widened as he watched the four mutants ascend the stairs and exit the safe house. They were venturing into a world that was still hostile towards mutants, but they were not afraid. X-Force gave them a chance to live their lives as they saw fit. This desire to seize their destiny resonated with Kurt Wagner and it went beyond the mission of X-Force.

This new life for Alison, Grant, Ami, and Adrian had just begun. The challenge for X-Force was still far from over. It was sure to get tougher now. There were many other mutants out there in a tough situation because of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. It was only a matter of time before they confronted one that tested their resolve.

* * *

 **Scranton, Pennsylvania**

"Robert! Robert, you pitiful excuse for a shit stain, get back here!"

"Would saying I'm _really_ sorry help in any way?" said a breathless Robert Hunter.

"You think you're sorry? Wait till I get my hands on you! You don't just apologize for screwing me over!"

Bad decisions always had a way for coming back with a vengeance. It was difficult enough dealing with it when it was unexpected. When a long list of accumulated bad decisions came back all at once, the difficulty was magnified. It put men like Robert Hunter in a very dangerous predicament.

Robert was no criminal mastermind. He wasn't a petty crook either. He was just a high school dropout who thought he could stand to have a more comfortable lifestyle without working too hard for it.

He allowed himself to get involved with a number of gangs, a few loan sharks, and some drug dealers. He never intended to make a career out of illegal activities. He planned on saving up some money, moving out of Scranton, and starting his own business. Those plans were pretty much in ruin right now. Getting involved with bad people was the easy part. Getting them out of his life proved far more difficult.

' _You've really done it now, Robby. You screwed yourself in ways that even your old man would laugh at. What the hell was I thinking? Going to the cops and offering to wear a wire so I could get away from these psychos? You made your money and now it's gonna kill you! I'm getting sick just thinking about what they'll do to me!'_

Robert coughed and groaned as he lungs burned from so much running. He made it all the way to an abandoned fire station across the street from a mini mall. He could hear the footsteps of his irate loan shark and over a dozen angry associates. This evening went bad before it even started.

He had been scheduled to meet up with his loan shark where he was expected to pay off some old debts. He agreed to wear a wire for the police so they could bust him. But as soon as he was arrived, he was greeted by the loan shark and a contingent of pissed off associates, many of which were enforces from the gangs he worked with. They did not take kindly to someone snitching on them. All those old deals he made in hopes of getting ahead may end up costing him his life.

"We got him cornered!" yelled the loan shark, "Surround the building! Don't let this sniveling pissant get away!"

"Dibs on his rib-cage!" said a particularly tall thug who was armed with a baseball bat.

Robert heard them closing in. His legs refused to carry him any further. Feeling weaker and sicker by the second, he stammered into the empty garage of the old fire house. It was rusted, dirty, and full of old debris that his former associates could use to rough him up even more. Fatigue finally set in as he collapsed next to an old work bench. The unlucky young man keeled over, gasping for air and feeling even sicker.

"Ugh! It hurts! Why...does it hurt?" he groaned.

The loan shark and his associates closed in. They converged around the fire house, seeing that Robert wasn't running anymore. Now he was lying helpless on the floor, ready to accept his punishment.

"We got you now, you little snitch!" said the loan shark, cracking his knuckles in anticipation, "You should know you brought this on yourself, Robert. We're just the glycerin. You're the _nitro_ that set it off!"

"We gave you a shot and you pissed it all away," said another thug, "Don't know if you're a wimp or if you're just plain stupid. Now you and every bone in your body is gonna pay the price!"

The angry thugs closed in on Robert, eager to dish out the punishment he so rightly earned. He was a small-timer who thought he could only be half a criminal. Whether it was stupidity or lousy luck, they were going to make an example of him.

But as they approached, something unexpected happened. While Robert was writhing on the floor, his eyes started glowing. As the glowing grew brighter, his groans grew louder. The pain of fatigue soon turned into a very different kind of pain.

Robert felt it growing rapidly inside him. It was like a volcano within his veins that was preparing to erupt. Just as his loan shark was about to land the first blow, the glowing in his eyes turned into a glowing ball of energy that completely engulfed his body.

"Whoa...what the hell? What kind of trick are you pulling, Robby?!" demanded the loan shark.

"Ungh! I…I don't feel so good!" groaned Robert.

As he rose up, the glowing energy around him turned into a blinding flare. It was so powerful that the loan shark and his associates fell back. As angry as they were at Robert, this was getting too volatile for them. It seemed this poor guy's bad luck was going to rough him up enough.

"To hell with this! I'm getting outta here!" yelled one of the thugs.

"This guy's cursed!" yelled another.

The glowing soon engulfed the whole firehouse. Even the loan shark decided not to linger at this point. As they stammered out of the old firehouse as fast as they could, the glowing energy around Robert started pulsating ominously. In the middle of it all, the young man felt this mysterious power inside him reach critical mass.

"What's...happening...to me?!" he cried from within the chaos, "Feels like I'm gonna...AHHHHHHHHHH!"

What happened next was seen by everyone within a five-block radius. Robert and the energy around him exploded in a massive outburst that utterly destroyed the old firehouse and severely charred the surrounding area. It was destruction on a terrifying scale that would not go unnoticed. Like everything else in Robert Hunter's life, his luck was about to get much worse.

* * *

 **Up next: Volatility Sensibility**


	3. Issue 151: Volatility Sensibility Part 1

**Issue #151  
Volatility Sensibility Part 1**

* * *

 _It is a time of division for Professor Charles Xavier the X-men. Where they once stood together as a team, they are now fragmented. On one side stands the X-men, an official arm of the Mutant Security Agency and governed by the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. On the other side stands X-Force, a team led by Cyclops that sees the initiative as inherently destructive. In the middle of this conflict, they must still protect a world that hates and fears their kind._

 _It has been over six months since the Mutant Monitoring Initiative began. In that time, Professor Xavier and his X-men did a lot of good. They worked to ease public fears that had been heightened by the Mutant Liberation Front and the Genosha exodus. They fought crime, led humanitarian efforts, and protected the fragile peace that emerged after the Mutant Liberation Front's defeat._

 _However, they were also behind some controversial actions, most of which centered on their cooperation with the government and how it has created unintended conflicts. Just as these conflicts are starting to grow, X-Force made a bold move that may send them on a collision course with the X-men._

 _After working in secret for months, X-Force publicly freed four mutants and hid them from the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. They did this shortly after activating their own version of Cerebrum to track mutant activity. Now, as X-Force finds themselves in the public eye, they're ready to make a bolder statement. This puts Charles Xavier in a very difficult position._

* * *

 **Xavier Institute for Mutant Research - Xavier's Office**

One of Charles Xavier's greatest strengths was his ability to rise to a challenge. Whether it was Magneto or cancer, he always stepped up and fought hard for his principles. The Mutant Monitoring Initiative had already presented him with a unique set of challenges. None were as daunting _as_ this.

Sitting at his desk, he looked over a detailed report concerning X-Force. The report included thick folders, a few computer disks, and a detailed list of scenarios for him to assess. It was unlike any threat he had ever faced before. These weren't mutant terrorists, misguided humans, or hostile aliens. These were his own students, his associates, and his closest friends.

It made him sick to his stomach, seeing them depicted as criminals. He still had the greatest respect and affection for them. However, General Grimshaw and others within the government were expecting him to resolve the matter.

' _I trained you too well, Scott. You're not a student anymore. You're a leader. You've managed to rally others to your cause. You've successfully planned an operation that succeeded in every intended way. Now I have to oppose you and everything about that troubles me to no end.'_

Xavier brought up a detailed sequence of images on his computer. These images had been compiled from news reports and footage from the public during the Oakland incident. They clearly identified some while speculating with others.

Cyclops, Wolverine, Warpath, and Domino were fairly prominent. Nightcrawler was a bit more obscured. Given his history with the Azazel, he preferred to keep a low profile. He also recognized Emma Frost as the telepath in the image, but she was so obscured that she couldn't be identified. She was also not listed because she apparently had a solid alibi for this incident, of which Xavier was certain was a ruse. For her to take that big a chance, it showed that she and the others were truly dedicated to their cause.

' _You weren't the only one opposed to my initiative, Scott. I still remember how upset Emma and James Proudstar were when I got the Academy of Tomorrow involved. I thought I had convinced them to give it a chance. I suppose you made a much more compelling argument. Emma managed to cover her tracks, but Warpath and the rest of X-Force aren't even trying. It's as if you want the world to know you're opposing me. Why go this far, Scott? Have I alienated you THAT much?'_

The Professor held his head low, having to look away from his computer for a moment to digest his sorrow. It was too difficult, looking upon his former students as enemies. It left him so conflicted that he didn't realize Hank McCoy entering his office. His anxious mood seemed to reflect that of the whole team.

"Is this a bad time, Charles?" he asked warily.

"I don't see how it can get much worse, old friend. I don't see how it can get better either, so feel free to interrupt," sighed Xavier.

"I don't think anyone is expecting a clear course of action. In this instance, it would behoove us all if you took your time."

"If only General Grimshaw and President Kelly felt the same way. They have no emotional stake in combating X-Force. They're expecting a plan by the end of the day. If I don't deliver, then they'll find someone who won't be nearly as careful."

Now it was Hank's turn to hold his head low. This was one conundrum where superior intellect did them little good. The X-men placed themselves in a vulnerable position by agreeing to the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. It marked the first occasion that put them at odds with their friends.

Hank had enough quandaries to ponder with his work on mutant research. He allowed the awkward silence to linger a bit before sitting down across from Xavier's desk and addressing another heart-wrenching subject.

"I suppose this would be an inopportune time to bring up a personal matter I've been putting off," said Hank in a solemn tone, "Tessa has been getting quite worked up lately. And for a woman who can turn off her emotions like a coffee maker, that's saying a lot."

"That would follow a growing trend as of late," said Xavier, "Relationships on every level have come under quite a bit of strain."

"This is somewhat different. She and I agreed to stop keeping secrets from each other. So when Sebastian Shaw showed up in District X six months ago, she did not hesitate to tell me."

"Yes, I remember you bringing that up," said the Professor, "I take it nothing has come of it yet."

"Oh I would say _plenty_ has come of it, Charles. It's not unlike our current predicament with X-Force, which is why I'm bringing it up," said Hank in a more serious tone, "Tessa has been walking on egg-shells since Shaw showed up. She's been unable to stand in his way as dozens of mutants from District X agree to go with Shaw, disappearing from our monitoring capabilities in the process."

"That's another problem I've been working on with General Grimshaw," said Professor Xavier, "I brought up Sebastian Shaw's name, but he and many others in high places agree. He's too well-connected to confront."

"If we weren't bound by the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, would we go after regardless of his connections?"

"I hope that doesn't imply you agree with X-Force now," said Xavier in a serious, yet wary tone, "It's a little early to cast _that_ level of doubt."

"I'm not tendering my X-status just yet. I'm merely widening our perspective," retorted Hank, "Working with the authorities is all well and good, but with additional resources come additional limitations. We both know Sebastian Shaw is trouble. It's only a matter of time before he shows his true colors."

"I don't want to see that happen anymore than you or Tessa. That is exactly why we need to do better."

"I agree, but I honestly don't know what to tell Tessa anymore. Even Bishop and Multiple are buying into Shaw's plan. She can't say anything without revealing her sordid history. She's trapped like us, bound by circumstances that prevent us from doing what is necessary."

Hank's heart ached for Tessa just as the Professor's heart ached for the students, some of whom now worked against him. It struck at their confidence in the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. It struck at the very principles of the X-men. Many were wary of where this new vision of his dream lead. The onus was on Charles Xavier to prove that they were doing the right thing.

"We will help Tessa, old friend. I promise," said Xavier, offering a comforting gesture to his friend.

"I don't question your desire to assist my paramour. I merely question whether we're in a position to do so," said Hank in a morose tone.

"And I intend to answer those questions in kind. Just as I intend to show X-Force that we can make the Mutant Monitoring Initiative work," he said strongly, "The key in their case, as well as Shaw's, is addressing the fears that many still harbor. We need to show more mutants that it is beneficial to work with us rather than against us."

"I hope you have a plan on making that case soon, Charles. X-Force certainly made an impression in Oakland," Hank pointed out.

"As it just so happens, I've been working on such a plan this morning," he said, "One that I hope to get the whole team involved with."

The Professor turned back towards his desk and turned around his monitor so that Hank could see what he had been working on. He minimized the screen that showed the members of X-Force and brought up another screen that displayed a very different set of images. Despite his concerns about Tessa, he quickly became intrigued.

"What exactly am I looking at, Charles?" asked Hank.

"This is a detailed analysis on a new mutant signature," Xavier explained, "Cerebrum detected it a few days ago. It's small, but volatile. It's exactly the kind of mutant activity that the X-men and the MSA are equipped to handle."

"Robert Hunter. Home in Scranton, Pennsylvania and home to a power that involves rapid ion energy build-up and release," said Hank as he read over some of the data, "A most unfortunate manifestation."

"And one he's struggling to control," Xavier went on, "It has already led to the destruction of an old fire house. At the moment, the media is not aware that this is a mutant issue. They're treating that incident as unfortunate accident involving an old furnace explosion."

"How long can we expect that story to last?"

"Not nearly as long as we need it to," he said seriously, "Which is why I plan on mobilizing the X-men. This is a good way for us to strengthen our case. We can help this poor young man. We can demonstrate to the world that there is merit to the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. By doing so, we may not even have to confront Sebastian Shaw or X-Force."

"That's assuming it'll go smoothly, Charles."

"I never said that it would. I understand that progress of any kind will require hard work. X-Force is doing theirs. It's only fitting that we do ours."

* * *

 **Nova Roma – X-Force Headquarters**

' _Attention X-Force. I'm sending you this telepathic message on behalf of my humorless ex-boyfriend. I've detected some new mutant activity with our Cerebrum 1.0. It's the kind of activity that the X-men and the MSA see fit to confront in full force. As such, Cyclops expects us all to be present in the staging area in ten minutes. If you had plans to partake in Nova Roma's wine-soaked nightlife, you had best cancel them.'_

Emma Frost's telepathic orders were never subtle or polite. It seemed like an appropriate style for X-Force since they operated outside the law. That didn't make it any less annoying. This unexpected announcement came early in the morning so some were more annoyed than others.

"Damn it! I hate it when this shit happens in the middle of a shower," groaned Warren, who was making his way through the living area with Logan and Domino.

"I hate it even more when it happens before I finish a beer," grunted Logan, who was already in his Wolverine costume.

"When are you _not_ in the process of finishing a beer?" joked Domino.

"Your point being?" quipped the feral mutant.

Neither Domino nor Warren bothered arguing. They just followed Logan, who ran out ahead of them.

The staging area was in the basement where all the Cerebrum components were set up. Scott and Emma were probably already there. James Proudstar might be as well since he often responded quickly to any threat. Kurt was the only one that lingered. He had been in the kitchen when he got the call. As he watched his teammates run by, he figured he would have to set aside his oversized sandwich.

"So much for a hardy breakfast," sighed the German mutant, "Zhere can be no rest for zhe Nightcrawler express."

Despite his rumbling stomach, he stuffed the sandwich inside the refrigerator for later. Since his teleportation powers were their primary mode of transportation from this remote area, he needed to be on the front lines with X-Force. He was about to teleport down into the staging area when the door to the living area opened to reveal an unexpected presence.

"You're putting away a sandwich without eating it? You must have another mission," said the often-conflicted Wanda Maximoff.

"Oh…Vanda," said Kurt, who nearly dropped his sandwich, "You're as observant as you are sneaky."

"Now why would I want to sneak up on you?" she joked as she made her way through the living area.

"Zhat's a good question….one zhat I'd rather not answer at a time like zhis."

Wanda's demeanor shifted. She stood awkwardly across the room, watching as he put his sandwich away and grabbed a few snacks for the trip. He was avoiding eye-contact with her. He had been doing that a lot lately. There were many reasons for that, none of which he would talk about.

"I'm sorry, Kurt. I was just hoping we could…you know, talk at some point," she said in a more serious tone, "Living here in Nova Roma would be a lot easier if I had someone I could relate to."

"Zhis is a secretive, isolated city vith thousands of friendly citizens. You're a beautiful woman vith powers in a society zhat values magic. I don't zhink finding friends is as difficult as you make I tout to be," said Kurt.

"You're wrong and I would appreciate it if you would be less an ass about it," she retorted, "Ever since I landed on Genosha, my whole life was consumed by global conflict. I worked day and night obsessing over it. Now I come here…and there's nothing."

"I thought you said you needed a vacation," retorted the German mutant.

"That was six months ago. In that time the X-men have split up, the Mutant Monitoring Initiative has been set up, and the Brotherhood is still at large, along with hundreds of Genoshan refugees. You were there for me when I needed to pull myself together. I know I'm putting you in an awkward position, but I don't feel comfortable addressing this with anyone else."

Kurt finally looked her in the eye, no longer able to avoid her gaze. Wanda Maximoff knew how to maintain a strong presence. Being Magneto's daughter made that a requirement of sorts. That presence was part of what led him to help her adjust to life in Nova Roma.

After he brought her to this city in wake of the Genosha Exodus, she was in a vulnerable state. Having stopped a barrage of nuclear missiles together, they were drawn to each other. That presented a hell of a problem for Kurt.

Amanda was still in a coma. She hadn't showed up in any of his dreams. Margali and Shaman weren't able to reach her either. It left Kurt helpless once again. He still loved Amanda and stayed by her side. Wanda understood that. He made that clear to her on their first day in Nova Roma. That still didn't stop her from getting closer to him in ways that were more than just awkward.

"Kurt, you know I don't mean to complicate your life. Neither of us asked to be in this situation," she said in a more compassionate tone.

"I don't doubt your sincerity, Vanda. I never do," said Kurt.

"But you clearly have doubts," she pointed out, "Otherwise you wouldn't be avoiding me."

"I don't vant to avoid you. Between X-Force and Amanda, I'm just not sure I'm zhe best person you should look to for answers," he told her.

"That's where you're wrong. You've given me more in the past six months than anyone has given me in years. You encouraged me to take a step back and look at the bigger picture…to think beyond my father or the Brotherhood. And guess what? It worked!"

"Zhen vhat do you still need me for?"

"More than I care to admit," she said as she moved closer towards him, "All my life, I've been following the plans of others. First it was my father. Then it was Charles Xavier's. I never stepped back and really contemplated what _I_ wanted. I think I'm ready to start making decisions, but I don't want to make them alone. Whether you like it or not, I've come to trust you, Kurt. I need to know how far that trust can go."

Kurt shifted awkwardly in Wanda's close presence. She had a commanding poise to go along with her honest sincerity. It was hard to pull himself away from her. He sensed more than just trust from Wanda.

There were strong emotions associated with that trust...emotions that conflicted with his love for Amanda. He struggled to find the right words with this woman. She didn't make it easy for him. Then he received a rather harsh reminder in his head from Emma Frost that there were other pressing concerns.

' _Kurt, we're waiting for you and getting extremely impatient. Finish stuffing your face and flirting with Magneto's daughter. We have a mission and it's not going to wait for your stomach or your loins.'_

' _I'm on my vay, Emma. No need to bombard my brain vith needless migraines.'_

' _When you're thinking with the wrong head, I think the need is more than appropriate.'_

Kurt clutched his head as a stinging headache set in. It was Emma's way of reinforcing her point. She was not nearly as polite as Jean Grey or Professor Xavier when it came to telepathic urgings. Wanda seemed to pick up on this and sighed in frustration.

"I take it your friends are getting impatient," said Wanda.

"Duty calls, I'm afraid. Emma Frost likes to make it hurt as vell," said Kurt, still rubbing his temples.

"Then I won't keep you. I believe you guys are doing the right thing, opposing this Mutant Monitoring Initiative that Charles Xavier has concocted," she said in an accepting tone, "But I would still like to finish this conversation at some point."

"You know I'm not one to avoid zhese zhings, Vanda. I am _that_ heartless," he assured her.

"Is that a promise?"

"It is exactly vhat it needs to be. Zhat's all it can be…for now."

He said those last two words under his breath. He probably didn't mean to say them. He didn't stick around to take them back either. He teleported away in a puff of smoke to meet up with X-Force and begin the mission. It left Wanda even more conflicted, but in an entirely different way. She found herself lingering in the sulfurous smoke, contemplating the _long_ list of problems that confounded her.

"For now…right," she said to herself, "Guess I'm not the only one who needs to do some serious thinking."

* * *

 **Scranton, Pennsylvania**

Since the onset of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, it was rare when a mission required the full team. Everyone in the X-men had their own set of duties and specialties. Working with the MSA and the governments of the world made their work much more regimented. That didn't mean the X-men weren't needed when a difficult case emerged.

The incident in Scranton, Pennsylvania had already escalated. What started off as a random explosion had quickly become more volatile. The local MSA had descended upon the area, ensuring panic didn't spread over a renegade mutant. The X-men were tasked with confronting the source of the threat directly. To do so in a world where X-Force was making headlines, the team needed a shift in protocol.

"So how big a catastrophe we be dealing with, Professor?" asked Remy from the passenger area of the X-jet.

"I would say it's not quite catastrophe level just yet. It's a far cry from an attack by the Mutant Liberation Front," said Professor Xavier from the cockpit, who was monitoring the situation on the ground while Hank flew the jet.

"So why do we need the full team for this? Is this mutant really that _dangerous_?" asked Piotr.

"The potential for danger is certainly there. It simply hasn't been realized. It will be our job to ensure it stays that way," he replied.

"In any case, it helps to have numbers on our side," added Hank, "We're dealing with one mutant and in cases such as this, it's wise to provide multiple sources of aid."

"It worked for meh when mah powers kicked in. Ah doubt this poor fella is in nearly as bad a shape," shrugged Rogue.

"That's debatable," said Xavier, "I contacted the Pennsylvania State Police for more information on this Robert Hunter. He's no career deviant, but he's not inclined to think things through either."

"The bloke still has a bit of a record," added Betsy, "He got involved with some bad people for the wrong reasons. Then when he tried to do the right thing, he found out that criminals don't take kindly to snitches."

"Guess he never saw the Godfather," muttered Jean.

"Does this mean we'll have to deal with hardened criminals on top of dealing with a volatile mutant?" asked Ororo.

"That's something we hope to avoid," said Xavier, "General Grimshaw has informed me that the MSA and local law enforcement have imposed an emergency curfew on the town. It's currently this under the guise of a gas leak from an old coal mine. The area has a history of such leaks so I doubt it will cause much stir with the media."

"I thought we _wanted_ to get the media involved," said Ororo, "After what happened in Oakland, you said we needed to make a public statement."

"And we will," assured the Professor, "We will demonstrate to the media that the X-men and the MSA can work together in an efficient manner. That's why I've made a few changes to our operations for this mission."

"What kind of changes?" asked Jean warily.

"You're about to find out," said Hank as he flew the jet in lower.

The X-jet shook as it settled over a local soccer field that the MSA had cordoned off. On the ground, a number of MSA armored vans were parked along the south end of the field. Several MSA officer and local police waved the X-men in for landing. As soon as they touched down, Hank cut power to the engines and opened the main hatch on the side. Within moments, they were greeted by a familiar, albeit unwelcome presence.

"Welcome to Nowheresville, USA," greeted Captain Jack Freeman, "Hope you X-men are ready for a fresh round of crazy."

"And he's here _because_?" said Rogue dryly.

"Didn't you get the memo? I'm the new field leader of the X-men."

Jean, Ororo, Piotr, Rogue, Remy, and Betsy all turned towards Professor Xavier. They looked at him strangely, projecting a wide range of anxious and disgruntled thoughts.

"Please tell me this is General Grimshaw's idea of a joke," said Betsy in a cynical tone.

"Since when does the government get to decide who leads the X-men?" asked Piotr.

"Since your old leader decided to jump ship and start a solo act," answered Captain Freeman, "Which, mind you, has a lot of people in Washington very worried."

"You better watch what you say about our friends, _Captain_ ," said Jean strongly.

"That's quite enough, X-men!" said Xavier sternly as he walked out from the cockpit, "Nobody imposed anything on us. It is something that General Grimshaw and I came up with together."

"And you didn't think it be necessary to let us know?" said Remy.

"We decided to implement it sooner than expected," he clarified, "Given the nature of this mission, we felt it necessary to move forward. Captain Freeman here has demonstrated his worth on many occasions. His experience and skill-set make him perfectly suited to head field operations. I do apologize for dropping this on you so suddenly, but this is an important operation. I trust you'll treat it as such."

Professor Xavier did not leave it open for debate. He and Hank followed Captain Freeman out of the jet, making it clear to the X-men that he expected them to do the same. It still didn't seem right, someone like Captain Freeman leading the X-men as Cyclops once had.

Even though he was a mutant who had helped the X-men in the past, he made no secret of his attitude for the X-men. He saw their entire approach to the human/mutant conflict as flawed. Following him in the field would be awkward to say the lease.

"This better just be a PR stunt," said Jean as she reluctantly followed the others, "A one-time thing to show that the X-men and the military can get along."

"If it ends up working, then I doubt it," said Betsy.

"And if it doesn't, that will be even worse," Piotr pointed out, "The man is a solider and a very good one from what we have seen."

"It takes more than a soldier to lead the X-men, Peter," said Rogue.

"I agree, Rogue. So why don't we see if he has what it takes?" said Ororo.

"You guys almost sound _eager_ to replace Cyclops," muttered Jean.

"We're not trying to replace anyone, Jean," said Ororo, "This is a difficult situation. There's no shame in getting help."

Jean remained unconvinced. No one seemed convinced, but they were willing to give Captain Freeman a chance. He was a trained Green Beret in addition to being a mutant. Despite his conflicting views about the X-men, their missions were intertwined. Working together was in their best interests.

The X-men followed Hank and Professor Xavier and onto a makeshift staging area. A number of MSA officers and local police set up a row of tables with laptops and communications equipment. A few operatives were passing out the MSA's advanced mutant weaponry to the local police and showing them how to use it. They were also setting up large containment areas that looked equipped to house a very dangerous mutant. It offered an ominous hint of what they were up against.

"X-men, this is Scranton Police Chief Alonso. He's been helping us contain this messy incident before it started trending on Twitter," said Captain Freeman as he turned around and addressed the team.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Chief Alonso," greeted Professor Xavier.

"It'll be a much greater pleasure if you X-men can help me clean this up," said Chief Alonso, "Would you be less inclined if I said I've donated to Reverend Stryker's ministry?"

"That depends. Did your wife make you do it?" quipped Rogue.

"Feel free to plead the fifth, Captain. We're used to helping people who don't like us," said Betsy.

"This town will like you a lot more if we can end this," said the police chief, "I've imposed a curfew for the past twenty four hours, but eventually the town folk are gonna get restless."

"Which is why we need to act quickly and efficiently," said Hank.

They then turned towards one of the laptops on the table. One of the MSA analysts nodded towards Hank and turned it around so that everyone could see. It presented a detailed map of the city that had been marked with a series of red dots.

"As you can see, I've linked Cerebrum's mutant tracking program to the MSA's encrypted VPN," Hank went on, "Mr. Hunter's first mutant manifestation is marked by the large red signature in the center."

"That area is now a smoldering wreck of what used to be an old fire house," said Chief Alonso.

"Following that destructive outburst, a series of smaller bursts were tracked down one of the south avenues leading out of the city," he said while gesturing over the screen, "These bursts have been quite destructive. They've torn up streets, blown out windows, and rendered a number of cars in need of insurance."

"Have there been any deaths or injuries?" asked Captain Freeman.

"This happened late at night so collateral damage has been minimal," said Chief Alonso, "We've had a couple of traffic accidents, a few minor injuries from people in nearby buildings, and some light disruption in major utilities."

"In other words, there's nothing Fox News can obsess over just yet," said Jean.

"That may change very soon," said Professor Xavier ominously, "If you'll look at the map, you'll see the dots leading to a very dangerous area…one that could threaten the entire town."

"That would be the old coal mines," said Hank grimly, "While most mining operations were shut down over a decade ago, some of the tunnels are still up. Some squatters and gangs set up shop in them, but the real danger is in what would happen if Mr. Hunter has another outburst. Should he find himself in the right area at the wrong time, the destructive force of his powers could send shock-waves throughout the surrounding mines."

"A number of which run under this city and a few surrounding towns," added Chief Alonso, "There are so damn many that the coal companies never got around to filling those tunnels in."

"You all passed my physics class so you know what this means," said Hank, "I doubt Mr. Hunter is aware of this danger and it is up to us to inform him before he learns the hard way."

Police Chief Alonso paled at the prospect. The X-men understood and empathized with his fears. An entire town could be wiped off the map if they didn't get this unfortunate mutant under control. Regardless of their new arrangements, the goal of the X-men remained intact. They had to help this mutant before he could harm himself or others.

"Bloody hell," groaned Betsy, "I'm not sure if I should feel sorry for this guy or be mad at him for doing something this stupid."

"Speaking as the only one who _didn't_ pass a physics class, I'll vouch for the guy if his powers haven't made him an asshole," said Captain Freeman.

"That is your primary mission, X-men," said Professor Xavier, "I will work with Chief Alonso and the MSA to guide you to Mr. Hunter. By now he has probably reached the mines so proceed with caution."

"Understood, Professor," said Ororo, "But what if we reach him and he is unable to control his powers?"

"Don't worry about that, my dear," said Hank confidently, "Dr. Rao and I have been working on something that I hope will render such a scenario irrelevant."

"That sure would've been handy when mah powers kicked in," said Rogue.

"Such is the benefit of having access to SWORD resources," said Hank proudly.

"I'm not as concerned with stopping this guy as I am about running into X-Force," said Jean, "What if they know about this too? What if we can't get out of each other's way?"

"Then we'll take the appropriate course of action," said Captain Freeman, who was already prepared to move out.

"What does _that_ supposed to mean?" asked Jean suspiciously.

"If we do this right, we won't have to find out," retorted the Green Beret, "Now let's get going, X-men! This walking bomb won't wait till midnight to start the fireworks!"

Captain Freeman's tone was aggressive. It was his way of taking charge. He was the field leader and he expected the X-men to follow him. He was already making his way towards an armored MSA vehicle. Jean, Ororo, Rogue, Remy, Piotr, and Besy lingered a bit. Professor Xavier offered an assuring gesture to urge them along.

"Go with him, X-men. I know this is a difficult adjustment, but it is one we'll need to make," said Professor Xavier.

"That still be begging the question…just how many adjustments we gonna make," said Remy.

"We'll confront those challenges as they arise. For now, finding Robert Hunter is our primary focus," said Professor Xavier, "You should hurry. I suspect he's in more trouble than we think."

* * *

 **South Scranton Coal Mines**

' _Insides burning. Feels like I just drank a shot of acid. It's gonna happen again! Can't let it! Gotta get away before…'_

Robert Hunter's thoughts broke down as another round of agony consumed him. His whole body ached. He had been running since the previous night. Since that first explosion at the old fire house, his only focus was getting as far away as possible. His problems with his loan shark were light years from his mind. Something was happening to him and as he clawed his way up a rocky hill, it happened again.

"No! Not again! I can't…AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

His body erupted in another burst of bright bluish energy. It started from his eyes and quickly consumed him from head to toe. When it got to be too much, the energy was released in a powerful explosion. It wasn't as powerful as the blast that destroyed the fire house, but it was still powerful enough to leave a circle of scorched earth around him.

Robert's ears kept ringing as he lay helpless on the rugged terrain. Somehow he made it all the way to the old coal mines where his father used to work. It seemed like the only place left for him. Looking back towards the city, he saw no way for him to return. He was so tired and weak, yet he was still dangerous to be around.

"What am I going to do?" groaned Robert as he stared at the cloudy sky above him, "I'm not just a freak. I'm a walking time bomb! It's official. There's no possible way for my life to get any worse!"

The dazed young man closed his eyes and groaned. His world had been falling apart before this happened. Now it was beyond repair. He was lost and no one was coming to help him. Perhaps that was for the better. At this rate, he would only hurt them too.

As Robert lamented at his horrendous luck, he heard a noise in the distance. It came from the main entrance to the coal mine where heavy construction vehicles used to enter. He rose up and saw three trucks driving alongside a large van. The terrain around this mine was pretty rugged so it was rare for anybody to come this way. At first he was hopeful. Maybe someone saw the explosion he caused and was here to help. Then he recognized a figure in the back of a truck and his hopes were quickly dashed.

"Hey Nitro!" yelled the voice of his loan shark, "We've got unfinished business."

"Looks like I spoke too soon," groaned Robby.

The weakened young man stumbled to his feet. He tried running deeper into the minds, making his way towards what was left of an elevator shaft. He didn't make it very far. Within minutes, the three trucks surrounded him and the van behind them pulled up. There was nowhere for him to escape. Robert froze where he stood, watching as over a dozen intimidating men armed with baseball bats and guns stood over him.

"You guys are making a big mistake!" he warned them, "You saw what I did back at the firehouse. Do you really want to be around when it happens again?"

"I sure as hell don't. Hell, I was hoping you saved us the trouble and blew your ass up," scoffed the loan shark, "But this isn't about what I want. It's what the boss wants."

The loan shark signaled the van to pull in closer. It stopped about ten feet from where Robert was standing. He stepped back slightly, only to be shoved forward by one of the lone shark's over-sized friends. He tried not to tremble as a neatly dressed Latino man stepped out of the van. He had short hair, dark sunglasses, and fancy-looking jewelry. Robert Hunter had been involved with criminals long enough to know that this man was powerful and dangerous.

"So this is the man I drove all the way from New York to meet," said the man, "He's not nearly as _imposing_ as I thought."

"You're in good company, boss. Mr. Hunter is what you may call a lazy criminal," said the loan shark, "He wants the money and the comfort, but he lacks the balls and the heart to go through with it."

"Typical," the boss scoffed, "You lazy kids, not looking both ways before you cross the fucking street. I'm not a cruel man, but guys like you deserve far worse than a bullet in the head."

"Please," said Robert, his tone weakening under the man's gaze, "I really don't know who you are or why you're here. If you know my story, then you know I'm already screwed!"

"You don't need to know my name, Mr. Hunter. Just call me, Boss," grinned the imposing man, "As for your story, I would say you're _anything_ but screwed. In fact, you may be the luckiest punk this side of the Mississippi."

"I just started blowing up randomly in a way I can't control! How the hell is _that_ lucky?"

The Boss and his associates started laughing. Robert grew increasingly anxious. That sick feeling in the pit of his stomach was starting to build again. It meant this bad situation was about to get worse in so many ways.

"Wow...you really are as stupid as you look!" said the loan shark.

"Cut the man some slack. He's clearly had a rough couple of days," said Boss as he patted Robert on the back, "Allow me to spell it out for you. This power that's got you whining like a little girl has a lot of otential. You just need a little _imagination_."

"I'd rather _not_ imagine. I'd rather it just stop!" cried Robert.

"Why would you want to stop something so _useful_? The way I see it, you're a walking bomb that no sane person would suspect. In my line of work, that kind of surprise goes a long way. For instance, there's this nasty waste of flesh in Philadelphia that ran a few of my businesses out of town. I know where he lives. I know where he hangs out. Imagine if someone like you drops by, an unarmed weakling who he won't suspect of anything. Then before he knows how fucked he is, what's left of him is feeding the birds."

Robert understood what he was getting at. It made him almost as sick as these powers. He would become a walking bomb for some ruthless criminal who didn't mind blowing up populated areas. Having never aspired to be more than a petty thug, he would be thrust into a role he could not live with. He started shaking his head in disgust, clutching his temples as if to try and wake up from this nightmare.

"No! That…that's madness. I won't do it! I can't!" he exclaimed.

"You must have missed the part where we said you was a choice," said the loan shark, pointing a gun right in his face to reinforce his point, "As far as I'm concerned, Robert Hunter is no more. You're Nitro! Our new secret weapon!"

"I don't want to be anybody's weapon!" Robert cried.

"You gave up the right to do what you want when you tried to screw us over. Or have you forgotten?" said Boss, "You have a debt to pay off and to do that, you gotta become Nitro. Do you understand?"

"Oh I understand. I understand it's completely _insane_! I can't even control this. How the hell do you expect me to go along with it?"

"Once again, you lack imagination," sighed Boss, "Perhaps you should let me do the thinking from now on. My people and I are clearly better at it. Whether you like it or not, you _must_ repay your debts. It's only a matter of how uncomfortable you're willing to make yourself."

Before Robert could begin to resist, two of Boss's imposing henchmen grabbed him by his arms and restrained him. He tried to break free, but their grip was too strong.

"No! Don't!" he cried, "You're making a big…"

The hapless man was silenced when one of the thugs restraining him punched him in the gut, causing him to keel over and howl in agony.

"Augh!" he groaned.

"Shut up!" said the thug that punched him, "You're a disgrace to every other freak with a superpower!"

"Take it easy on him," coaxed Boss as he signaled two associates from the van, "Nitro isn't a freak. He's a valued asset now."

From the van, the associates emerged and approached Robert. They weren't armed or dressed like thugs. One was holding a small case with a medical emblem on it and the other was holding a fresh syringe. Robert watched with dread as the man with the syringe reached into the case and pulled out a vial of clear liquid. He then proceeded to draw a carefully measured dose.

"You shouldn't be whining. You'll get to work with us all doped out on sedatives," laughed the loan shark, "We should all be so lucky to do our jobs high."

"These aren't the kind of sedatives I used to sell on street corners," said Boss, "These men are both doctors. This sedative that has too many syllables for me to pronounce will ensure you don't blow your top until the appropriate moment."

"Hnn...I won't do it!" grunted Robert.

"You can and you _will_. Now that you have power, you're gonna use it and you're gonna use it however we tell you to use it."

Boss stepped back so the two doctors could administer the syringe. Robert tried to struggle, but he was too weak. He grimaced as one of the thugs grasping him held his arm out. The first doctor swabbed an area around his upper harm while the other tapped the syringe in preparation.

"Hold still," said the doctor, "This won't hurt a bit."

Robert closed his eyes, dreading what would happen next. For all he knew, he would wake up in Boss's basement drugged and gagged like an animal. Or worse, he would end up in some crowded area ready to blow. Either way, he would be at this man's mercy and there was nothing he could do about it.

The needle was about to go into his arm. Then out of nowhere, a deafening gunshot rang out. It sounded like a shot from a high-powered rifle. Before Boss and his men could react, the lone bullet struck the syringe and grazed the doctor's hand. It was an impossible shot that shattered the instrument and put the doctor in more pain than he had promised.

"AHHHHH! MY HAND!" exclaimed the doctor.

"Someone's shooting at us! Everybody down!" ordered Boss as he slipped back into his van.

"Damn you, Nitro! Did you screw us over again?" exclaimed the loan shark.

Robert fell to the ground along with the rest of the men. They all scanned the nearby hills and cliffs, looking for the source of the shot. Some got behind the trucks and van, clutching their weapons anxiously. It was a potentially bloody fight that Robert wanted no part of. Whether it was sheer luck or something else entirely, he needed to get away.

With renewed strength, Robert jammed his elbow right into the gut of the thug that was restraining him. He got in a hard blow, which loosened his grip just enough.

"Ow! You little..." grunted the thug.

"Sorry guys! But if the choice is between you and a bullet to the skull, I'll go with the bullet," yelled Robert as he stammered to his feet.

"Don't you dare run, you little shit!" yelled the loan shark as he aimed his gun at Robert.

"Hold up!" exclaimed one of the loan shark's henchmen, "You don't want to shoot him! That may set him off again!"

"He's also more valuable alive than dead," reminded another, "We'll get to him. Just as soon as we figure out who the hell got the drop on us!"

The loan shark and Boss watched in frustration as Robert ran into the mine, navigating past piles of rock and old mining equipment until he was out of sight. Some were tempted to run after him, but then more shots rang out. They bullets hit closely, striking the windows of the van and the tires of the car. Whoever was shooting was an incredibly accurate shot. They made it clear that they could be hit if they tried anything foolish.

"What's happening, Boss? Who the hell could be doing this?" asked one of Boss's body guards, who tried to shield him inside the van.

"Is someone else after Nitro?" wondered the doctor that wasn't wounded.

"No. This is something else," said Boss as he looked out into the hills, "We need to go after him, but we'll need to proceed carefully. Someone is leaving this mine empty-handed and it won't be us!"

* * *

 **Meanwhile**

"Nice shooting, Domino. Hunter was able to escape," said Cyclops, who monitored the scene from atop a hill with high-powered binoculars.

"Not the toughest shot I ever made, but still cracked half a sweat," said Domino as she stared down the scope of her high-powered rifle, "Looks like they're going after the kid in their trucks. Should I take them out?"

"Not yet, but keep them in your sights," said Cyclops, "Now we're ready for the hard part."

The X-Force leader left Domino on the hilltop and met up with the rest of the team. Warpath, Emma Frost, Wolverine, Angel, and Nightcrawler had been waiting nearby in their X-Force uniforms.

They were able to track down Robert Hunter with the aid of Emma Frost's telepathy. Nightcrawler teleported them to the mines where they hoped to meet up with the distraught mutant, but the unexpected heat he attracted forced them to take a different approach.

"What's next, Cyclops? Are we ready to move in?" asked Warpath intently.

"That depends," said Cyclops as he turned to Emma Frost, "What's the latest on the X-men and the MSA?"

"Well we should probably hold off on firing more gunshots. They just arrived at the old rail entrance," said Emma, who was clutching her temples.

"They expecting to fight us? Because that would be a damn good thing to warn us about," said Wolverine.

"I'm having a hard enough time keeping the world's most powerful telepath from tracking us. You can't expect me to surmise _every_ detail of their plan," replied Emma.

"We don't need to know what they're thinking. We just need to know what they're doing," said Cyclops, "How close are they to Robert?"

"At the rate they're going, they'll run right into him within minutes," said Emma, concentrating harder, "They've also arrived in full force. The whole team is here and so is that Green Beret you told me about. The one with the nice ass."

"That would be Captain Freeman and I'd rather not talk about his ass," grumbled Warpath.

"So if zhe X-men are going to reach him first, then vhy do I just move in and teleport him?" suggested Nightcrawler.

"Too many unknowns and too many risks," said Cyclops, "This guy is a walking bomb. No matter where we take him, he's going to be a danger to himself and everyone around him."

"Besides, I think we should avoid kidnapping him for his own good," said Angel, "That's what the X-men are trying to do."

"So then what do we do that's any better?" said Wolverine skeptically, "You got a plan, Cyke? Or are we just gonna wing it?"

Cyclops took a moment to contemplate the situation. This was an unfortunate case with a mutant that had no control of his powers. Having been in that position himself, he understood more than anyone how volatile it could get. They had to find a way help this kid and work around the X-men in the process. The circumstances were still unfolding. Not everything was in place yet so X-Force had to be prepared.

"We're not winging anything, Wolverine," said Cyclops, "Right now, our best bet is to put ourselves in the right position. To do that, Emma will stay here and psychically monitor the situation from a distance. She'll also relay orders to Domino if needed."

"I take the time to craft this stunning uniform and you want me to stay out of sight? Even for an ex-boyfriend, that's cold," said Emma, still using her telepathy at full strength.

"I'm sure there will be plenty of other guys to ogle your cleavage, Frost," said Wolverine, rolling his eyes."

"We'll also need a bird's eye view of the area. Angel, that's where you come in," said Cyclops, "We may also need that bird to pack some heat."

"No problem, Cyclops," said Angel as he revealed his techno-organic wings, "But don't blame me if I hesitate to fire on the X-men. Especially if Betsy is down there."

"We'll avoid that at all costs, but be ready," said Cyclops in a serious tone, "We have to assume the X-men aren't going to be happy to see us. If Captain Freeman is with them, he'll probably try to arrest us. So Nightcrawler is going to teleport the rest of us in at close range, but we're not going to engage them. Not until an opportunity presents itself."

"How vill ve know vhen zhat opportunity arises?" wondered Nightcrawler, who also worried about having to face his sister.

"We'll know, Kurt. And we'll be ready," he said confidently, "Now let's get moving, X-Force. This is an explosive situation in an explosive setting."

"We get it. Some shit may explode," said Wolverine dryly.

"Just another day at the office, eh Wolverine?" said Warpath with a scorn.

Despite Wolverine's lack of concern, X-Force carried out Cyclops's orders. Angel took to the cloudy skies while Domino and Emma Frost lingered behind. Nightcrawler then used his teleportation powers to transport Wolverine, Warpath, and Cyclops into the shadows of the conflict unfolding below. For the first time, they would be working against the X-men on a mission. It was not a pleasant prospect, but one they might have to get used to.

* * *

 **Scranton Mines - Rail Entrance**

The X-men arrived at the mines as quickly as the MSA's armored vans would take them. Professor Xavier guided them from the staging area to a vacant rail yard.

This was an area that was littered in rusted old machinery. The rail tracks were warped, the shipping containers were rusted, and the roads were heavily weathered. It was tough terrain for any mutant to hide in, which made it ideal for someone like Robert Hunter. Once the van reached a point where the terrain was too tough, Captain Freeman parked along some old rail tracks and proceeded with a new set of orders.

"Looks like the smooth part of the ride is over, X-men," announced the Green Beret, "From here, we proceed on foot."

"Remind Remy again why we couldn't just take the X-jet?" said Gambit from the back seat.

"We're trying not to overwhelm this young man more than he already is," said Storm, "Following him in a large jet would be overkill."

"Besides, you X-men want to show the world that you're willing to get your hands dirty to protect the public. You'll go a lot further as hard-working civil servants than a costumed mutant militia," added Captain Freeman, "And before you bust my balls, just give it a chance. You might actually like it."

Captain Freeman's attitude still hadn't won over the X-men, but they followed him none-the-less. They didn't have much of a choice. Phoenix, Beast, Storm, Rogue, Gambit, Colossus, and Psylocke emerged from the van and surveyed the area.

This mining facility was pretty big. The landscape was a mix of hills and jagged cliffs. Decades of mining had stripped the natural outline of the area, rendering the terrain fairly rugged. From the rail yard, a series of old tracks fed into a web of trails that led into the various mine shafts. There was also a distinct taste of coal dust in the air. Since they were dealing with a mutant that could cause explosions, the danger was definitely mangified.

With those dangers in mind, the Green Beret took charge. Captain Freeman led the X-men right into the heart of the mines. They followed the main track from the rail depot that led into the heart of the facility. The air was cloudy and dry, making for a very volatile setting.

"This brings back memories and not very good ones," commented Colossus, "I worked in a coal mine back in Russia. It was a dangerous place where so many things can go wrong."

"Did any of those things involve a mutant that could explode?" asked Rogue.

"Nyet, but I remember a mine where safety measures existed on paper alone," mused the Russian, "When a drought struck the area, the lands were so dry that coal dust accumulated both above ground and below. Then one day a fuel truck caught fire and ignited the coal dust."

"How bad was it? Or is it better that we not know?" asked Psylocke.

"The resulting explosion could be heard nearly ten kilometers away. There were no witnesses to describe it because they were all either killed or mortally wounded. I think we should be aware of such dangers."

"As if we ain't got enough to worry about," sighed Gambit.

The threat of an exploding coal mine added to the X-men's sense of urgency. Captain Freeman led the team deeper into the mine, passing by a few piles of blackened rock. This lone mutant was causing all sorts of trouble and he probably didn't realize it.

"Thanks for a brief lesson in the dangers of coal mining, Colossus. I'm sure Greenpeace would _love_ to have you as a spokesman," said Captain Freeman dryly, "That doesn't change the mission. We'll avoid all that shit if we find this guy before he blows his top."

"Agreed," said Hank, "And according to Professor Xavier, we're getting close."

" _Close_ isn't good enough," said Captain Freeman strongly, "Any reason why he hasn't just flashed the location in all our minds by now?"

"You really don't know that much about telepathy, do you?" commented Phoenix, who scanned the area with her mind.

"I'm not in the mood for a lesson if you're about to offer one."

"I wasn't going to," she retorted, "One lesson wouldn't be enough to explain this interference either. Something is scrambling the psionic energy in this area."

"I feel it too, luv. I can't pin down any minds," said Psylocke, doing a quick scan herself, "I'm more inclined to believe that it's _someone_ that's doing the scrambling."

"By someone, could that mean X-Force? Or even the Brotherhood?" asked Storm anxiously.

"In either case, you better have that gizmo of yours ready, Beast," said Captain Freeman.

"It's been ready since we arrived," assured Beast, "I can think of no better way to test it than to aid this unfortunate soul."

He did a quick check of the device that he brought with them. It came in the form of a black suitcase that he had been clutching since he left the SWORD research facility. He hadn't discussed it with the team yet. All they knew is this was supposed to be the next phase in inhibitor technology. If it worked, then the implications for the future of mutant containment were vast.

"This guy is going to be even more unfortunate if he blows his top before we get to him. If he becomes too great a threat, then we are authorized to take him out," said Captain Freeman as they followed the old track to an open quarry pit.

"Take him out? Hold up a sec!" shouted Rogue, flying up and stopping Captain Freeman in his tracks.

"Rogue, need I remind you the pecking order here?" said Captain Freeman in an irritated tone, " _I'm_ leading this mission. _I'm_ the one giving orders."

"Your orders! Not ours!" she said as she grabbed the Green Beret by the collar, "Maybe you didn't get the memo, but X-men don't kill!"

"Whoa there, chere! No mission be easier when we start overreacting,said Gambit, pulling his girlfriend away from their field leader.

"I would let go if I were you," said Captain Freeman in a menacing tone, "Heed to your anti-feminist impulses and listen to your boyfriend."

"While I don't share Rogue's hostility, I do share her outrage," said Storm as she helped pull Rogue back, "What she says about X-men not killing is true. That is a line we do not cross."

"I'm not asking you to cross any lines, X-men," said Captain Freeman firmly, "I'm just reminding you that orders are orders. That's not fine print either. That's a major part of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative and if you're serious about making work you'll..."

Before Captain Freeman could finish, though, a desperate cry rang out from across the quarry. It was a cry that ensured this debate over X-men policies under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative would be set aside for now.

"HEY! WHOEVER YOU ARE, GET OUT HERE! GET AS FAR AWAY AS YOU CAN!" yelled the sauntering figure of Nitro.

"Hold that thought, X-men. I almost forgot we have a mission," said Captain Freeman as he took out his handgun.

"You would be wise to forget the side-arms, Captain. At least for now," said Psylocke, who prevented him from aiming it at the figure.

"You really want to get hung up on the no-killing debate?" exclaimed the Green Beret.

"That's not that, I'm afraid," said Phoenix, who was clearly sensing something, "But from what I can sense, this guy has enough guns pointed at him."

Captain Freeman and the X-men took a defensive stance as they watched the desperate figure run towards them. He wasn't running very fast either. He looked weak and tired, as if he had been running from something other than his powers. They soon found out what he was running from as it emerged in the distance amidst a cloud of coal dust.

From the cloud of dust, three trucks emerged. With them came echoes of gunshots. It looked as though they weren't the only ones after this mutant. He was attracting more trouble and it wasn't just explosions.

"QUIT RUNNING, NITRO! NO ONE CAN HELP YOUR MISERABLE ASS NOW!" yelled his angry loan shark from the back of the lead pickup truck.

Nitro's legs gave out almost halfway through the quarry. He fell to his knees the clouds of coal dust were kicked up. The three trucks drove past him and surrounded him. Armed thugs standing in the back fired warning shots with pistols and semi-automatic uzis. It insured that the hapless mutant was outgunned. Some of the bullets found their way through the dust and towards the X-men.

"Dang! Ah don't know this kid, but Ah alraedy hate his guts," said Rogue as she covered her mouth from the coal dust.

"Fall back, X-men!" ordered Captain Freeman, "Rogue, take lead with me and Colossus. Everyone else, get behind me and watch for stray bullets."

The team didn't hesitate to comply. They scrambled back with Colossus, Rogue, and Captain Freeman remaining behind to act as human shields.

This mutant was in even more trouble than they expected. They watched as the three trucks started circling around him, kicking up more dust and choking the surrounding air. With Colossus's warnings about coal dust still fresh in their minds, such danger was difficult to ignore.

"How about we do something about this coal dust while we're at it?" asked Psylocke.

"I can help with that," said Storm, looking up into the clouds, "I'll make it rain. That should wash away some of the dust."

"Why the hell didn't you suggest that earlier?" exclaimed Captain Freeman.

"You never gave the order," she quipped as her eyes started glowing, "We can argue the finer points of authority later, but I need a moment to…"

That moment never came. Before Storm could tap the power of the clouds, a stray bullet ricocheted from a nearby rock and struck her in the upper thigh. The resulting wound and the pain that followed it caused Storm to fall to the ground in a world of pain.

"AHHHHHHHHH! MY LEG!" she cried out.

"Stormy!" exclaimed Gambit, who caught her before she hit the rocky terrain.

"Shit! Guess we can count out that rain," grunted Captain Freeman as he felt a few bullets fly past him.

"Your lack of concern is extremely reassuring," said Phoenix dryly as she helped Gambit with Storm.

"Don't get mad at him! Get mad at the blokes firing the guns!" said Psylocke, arming herself with psionic blades as she stood behind Colossus.

"I doubt they understand what they're doing with Mr. Hunter. We need to get them out of the way so I can utilize the new inhibitor!" said Beast, who carefully protected the case.

"That should be the easy part," said Captain Freeman as he surveyed the threat, "Gambit, you and Phoenix stay with Storm. Protect her and treat her wounds. The rest of you, get to the target! Play as rough as you want with his buddies!"

"If Wolverine were here, they would be halfway ripped to shreds by now," commented Rogue.

Following the same example set by Wolverine, the X-men charged through the cloud of coal dust. Phoenix put up a telekinetic barrier behind them, which protected her and Gambit while they moved Storm away from the danger. She was in no condition to fight. The bleeding down her leg was pretty bad so the team was officially in short-handed. That didn't make their attack any less potent.

The thugs were so focused on surrounding Nitro that they didn't notice the X-men. The team quickly split off to attack the marauding trucks. Rogue went for one while Psylocke went for the truck behind it. Captain Freeman set his sights on the truck with the loan shark on the back, who was armed with a large sub-machine gun. Their presence quickly drew fire, which allowed Colossus to slip by with Beast behind him. They went right for Nitro, who looked to be in a bad state.

"Stay close, comrade Beast!" urged Colossus as several bullets bounced off his metal skin, "I will protect you from the bullets."

"If we do not get my prototype on Mr. Hunter, bullets will be the least of our worries," said Beast as he ducked down to avoid a stray bullet.

As the two mutants ran in towards the unmoving mutant, the thugs in the trucks took notice.

"Looks like Nitro has some buddies!" said an armed thug from the back of a truck.

"Don't be stupid! This walking dick cheese has no friends," scoffed the driver of the truck, "If they're in our way, shoot 'em! Boss will give us a bonus."

"No problem!"

The thug took aim with his uzi, aiming right for Beast. He was about to pull the trigger when without warning, the truck was lifted off the ground and carried into the air. It started the driver and caused the shooter to nearly fall out of the back, dropping his uzi in the process.

"Whoa! What the fuck?" the shooter exclaimed.

"What were you saying about not having any problems, sugah?" taunted Rogue.

She carried the bewildered thugs in their truck to a steep hill on the west side of the quarry. Now they were out of the way and ready to be later.

Upon seeing one of their trucks get carried away, the truck behind was more reluctant to keep circling. This one had two thugs in the back armed with handguns and two more in the front armed with shotguns. Through they coal dust they saw Psylocke standing in their path, looking unafraid and extremely pissed. The driver stared her down nervously, uncertain of his next move.

"Damn! Boss doesn't pay us enough for shit like this," said the driver as he anxiously gripped the wheel.

"Don't be a pussy!" said his associate in the passenger seat, "It's just a chick. Keep driving! We'll take her out!"

"But…" began the driver.

"You heard him! Quit being a chicken shit and step on it!" yelled one of the thugs in back.

The driver remained nervous, but listened to his friends. He stepped on the accelerator hard, his sight narrowing on the mutant up ahead. The others took aim, ready to riddle this woman with bullets.

Psylocke remained undaunted. She stood stoically in the path of the speeding truck, armed with two glowing psionic blades. She watched and waited, allowing the truck to get closer. As it drew near, she prepared to make her move.

"That's it you, you stupid sods. Play chicken with a telepath. You'll regret it," she said.

The truck was only a few dozen feet away. Once it was going fast enough, Psylocke used her telepathy to attack the driver. His weak mind could not resist her psychic probe. In an instant, she had control of him. With this control, she made him slam on the breaks instantly.

"Hnn…purple means stop," said the driver in a daze.

"Huh? What are you..." began the thug in the passenger seat.

That was all he managed to get out. As soon as the driver slammed on the breaks, the truck came to a screeching and turbulent halt. The two thugs standing in the back were thrown out just as they got their shots off. Since the passenger wasn't wearing a seat-belt, he was throw right through the windshield.

"AHHHHHHH!" they all yelled as they tumbled onto the rocky pavement.

Bones broke and shards of glass opened serious wounds. It ensured that the three thugs were in no condition to cause more trouble. The truck ended up stopping about two feet away from Psylocke. At this point, only the driver was unharmed. He remained under Psylocke's influence, but still deeply disturbed by what he just witnessed.

"When you get out of prison, luv…learn to drive safely," she said to him.

"Uhh…yes ma'am," he replied in a raspy tone.

"Good boy. Now turn off the truck and take a nap."

The driver promptly took the keys out of the ignition for the truck and passed out within seconds. He and his three wounded associates were in a world of trouble. They would be in even more trouble if they pushed this mutant to the brink of another explosion.

Only one truck remained. This one was led by the angry loan shark, who had more reasons than anyone to see Nitro suffer. He and the other three thugs in the truck saw what happened to their associates. Rather than wait for Boss to arrive, the loan shark set his sights on their target.

"Shit! There goes another one," said one of the thugs armed with a shotgun.

"Maybe we should pull back. These guys are out of our league!" said the driver.

"Not without Nitro!" yelled the loan shark as he loaded a new magazine into his uzi, "Head straight for the little punk. We'll snatch him and run over anybody in our way!"

"What about…" began the thug next to him.

"Don't argue with me! Just do it!" he barked, pointing his gun at the thug's head to shut him up.

No one else argued. Swallowing their nervousness, they prepared for this daring maneuver. They held on as the truck swerved around, skidding along the rocky terrain until it was pointed right at Nitro.

By now Colossus and Beast had reached him. They were standing right over him and didn't seem to care about getting shot or run over. Not bothering to warn them, the loan shark tapped the roof of the truck to signal the driver to gun it. He did so without hesitation and sped towards Nitro.

While the loan shark and his associates were distracted, they didn't notice Captain Freeman running in through a cloud of dust. He saw what they were trying to do. They clearly weren't thinking it through, a habit he could relate to. Since he couldn't run the risk of getting into a gun fight and igniting the coal dust, he decided on another tactic.

' _This takes me back. Being a reckless thug, messing people up, and thumbing my nose at the law…too bad I fucking hate nostalgia.'_

As he neared the oncoming truck, the Green Beret adapted his body to become hard and durable like a slab of granite. His skin changed color, taking on a tougher texture. Once he got close enough to the truck, he threw himself right in front of it.

"LOOK OUT!" yelled the armed man in the passenger's seat.

"Whoa shit!" yelled the driver as he instinctively hooked the wheel.

What happened next was a testament to physics. The truck hit Captain Freeman in his durable form and the result was akin to hitting a large speed bump too fast. The Green Beret struck the front right tire, causing the truck to jolt upwards and veer onto its side. That caused the two thugs in the back as well as the loan shark to fall out and tumble onto the rocky terrain.

The experience wasn't that better for the two men in the truck. With the engine still running, the truck skidded on its side and kept going until it came to an abrupt halt. By the time it was over, the two men inside were dazed and injured.

"Take it from someone who was ten times the low-life you pukes ever were. It sucks ass!" said Captain Freeman, "If you compromised this mission, it's gonna suck even worse for you."

The Green Beret made his way towards the truck to pry the two men inside out. Using his bare hands, he punched through the windshield and grabbed the half-conscious driver. Still in his durable form, he glared angrily at the injured man.

"You guys better start talking! What the hell are you doing chasing down mutants?" barked the Green Beret, "Is it a new extreme sport? Or is someone starting his own mutant collection?"

"Ack! Ribs…broken. Need…doctor," coughed the driver.

"You'll need more than a doctor if you don't start talking!" yelled Captain Freeman, now squeezing the man's neck.

The thug continued to cough. Captain Freeman's patience wore thin. It wasn't until Rogue and Psylocke caught up with him that he finally loosened his grip.

"Let him go, Captain! He ain't got nothing useful to say," urged Rogue.

"Well we won't know for sure until he answers now, will we?" said Captain Freeman, still scolding the thug.

"You can play Rambo later, luv. We've got another more _explosive_ problem, remember?" said Psylocke.

Captain Freeman grunted in frustration. He let the thug go, recalling that their primary mission was to help a volatile mutant. They were able to get these unexpected obstacles out of the way. Now came the more daunting task.

The battle against the thugs was nearly lost on Beast and Colossus. When they arrived at Nitro, they found a weak and distressed young man. He was still conscious, but in a very poor state.

Colossus focused on protecting him and Beast from stray bullets. While the bullets were flying by, he opened his metal case and took out disk-sized object that was about the size of a plate. Despite the clouds of coal dust swirling around him, Beast worked quickly to get the device ready. Since it was a prototype, it was a bit cumbersome.

"How much longer, Beast?" asked Colossus anxiously, "I hear no more bullets, but I do not sense we are safer."

"Just another minute or so," he replied, trying to sound calm, "I need to make sure the inhibitor field is balanced with the electrical pulse wave modulator so…"

"No need for explanations, my friend. I will take your word for it," said Colossus, who wasn't in a position to understand Beast's technical jargon.

"My apologies, but this is unproven technology we're dealing with," Beast reminded him, "It takes time to properly configure."

"Hnn…I think time just rain out," said Nitro in a raspy voice.

Beast and Colossus looked down at the sickly mutant to see him convulsing in discomfort. He rolled around on the ground, clutching his sides as if he had just been stabbed. Colossus tried to help him up, but he continued to groan in pain. Then to their dread, an ominous field of bluish energy started forming around him.

"Remain calm, Mr. Hunter! We're here to help!" urged Beast.

"No…they were right…about everything," he groaned.

"Try and stay focused! Do not let your powers consume you!" said Colossus strongly.

"It's…too late."

The ball of bluish energy quickly grew, forcing Beast and Colossus to fall back. Nitro's eyes started glowing again. This time it was worse than ever. Surrounded by coal dust and pushed to the brink, this was sure to be his biggest explosion yet.

"You have...to run," he urged, "I _am_ Nitro. I'm going to explode…and I can't stop it!"

* * *

 **Scranton, Pennsylvania – Staging Area**

The situation was tense for the MSA and the local Scranton police. There was little anyone could do besides wait. They had yet to hear from the X-men or detect any signs of activity. Professor Xavier kept working with the MSA's up-link to Cerebrum, trying to pin down every psychic signatures around the mines. It proved more difficult than he anticipated. Everyone was looking for answers and he had none to give.

All throughout the town, the police and the MSA kept patrolling the streets. They were still operating under the guise of this being a gas leak. That cover could not last much longer. Reporters were already emerging throughout the area. Trends in social media were being tracked as well.

Suspicions were growing and there was a significant chance that this could blow up in their face. Charles Xavier had no desire to let this happen. Through a secure line, General Grimshaw made it clear to him that failure was not an option.

" _You're making a lot of people VERY anxious here, Xavier. This was supposed to be a quick and quiet mission,"_ said General Grimshaw over a computer monitor.

"There have been a few complications, General," said Professor Xavier, who was still working to track the scrambled psychic signatures, "Phoenix reported that there was an incident of sorts. Some unsavory characters from Mr. Hunter's social circle have made our jobs that much more difficult."

" _I don't care if his mother is trying to kill him. We can't maintain this cover! Why can't your people pin this kid down already?"_

"We're doing our best, General," said Xavier, trying to hide his frustration, "There is significant psychic interference in the area. We're unable to move as efficiently as we hoped."

" _Is that because of those unsavory characters you mentioned? Or is there a chance X-Force is behind this? Because in either case, you know what must be done."_

Professor Xavier tensed under the General's harsh scrutiny. It was difficult to hide. There weren't many forces capable of creating this kind of psychic interference. If X-Force had a powerful telepath on their side, and Xavier knew full-well that they did, then that would explain why they were having such difficulties.

The General and everyone else back in Washington made it clear that they had little tolerance for interference. X-Force was a threat to them and they were expecting him to work around it. It left Xavier in an awkward position in which he was reluctant to act.

He had to respond carefully to General Grimshaw, knowing that he had the authority to complicate their affairs even further. He ended up not having to. Just as he was about to send his reply, the Scranton Police Chief came running towards him.

"Professor Xavier, sir! Come quick! You need to see this!" he yelled.

" _Please tell me that's not as bad as it sounds,"_ said General Grimshaw over the line.

"I'll have to get back to you, General," said Xavier as he promptly cut the line.

The Professor shot up from his seat and addressed the Police Chief. He didn't have to look far to see what he was referring to. Everyone on the site could see it. An ominous blue glow was emerging from the mines in the distance. It was not a natural light by any means. It had a very volatile aura to it, one that filled the air with dread.

"Please tell me what this is, Professor. I need to know if my town is in danger," said Police Chief Alonso anxiously.

"I think _danger_ would be an understatement," said Xavier distantly, "This is even worse than I thought."

"How much worse?"

"Aside from the fact we can no longer call it a gas leak…significantly worse," he answered.

"Significant as in we need to start evacuating?"

Xavier stared at the glowing light. It was growing brighter by the second, illuminating the cloudy skies. It could be seen by the whole town, indicating that this operation had taken a terrifying new twist.

"Significant as in I don't think evacuating the town will make a difference."

* * *

 **Up next: Volatility Sensibility Part 2**


	4. Issue 152: Volatility Sensibility Part 2

**Issue #152  
Volatility Sensibility Part 2**

* * *

 _Professor Charles Xavier and his X-men stand together for peace and understanding in a world that hates and fears them. Now his team has fragmented. One group stayed as he implemented the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, a partnership between the X-men and the authorities. Another broke off and formed X-Force, a group that opposes the initiative. Both teams believe they are doing what's best for mutants and humans alike. It was only a matter of time before they clashed._

 _It started with a young mutant named Robert Hunter. After attempting to betray his loan shark, his life of petty crime caught up with him. He is now in debt and a target. He tried to run, but he didn't run far enough. His loan shark and his hired muscle caught up with him and tried to make an example of Robert._

 _During the clash, though, his powers manifested. His ability to collect ionic energy and unleash destructive explosions have attracted attention from both the X-men and X-Force. They both sought him out, tracking him to an abandoned coal mine where Boss's thugs had chased him. They attempted to aid him, but they were too late._

 _Now Robert Hunter has become Nitro, a walking bomb capable of immense destruction. He is poised to unleash his greatest blast yet. He threatens to ignite both himself, the coal mine, and many innocent people. Both teams must find a way to stop him before it's too late. It's a fragile moment. One way or another, someone will have to take a chance._

* * *

 **Scranton Coal Mines - Front Entrance**

In every criminal endeavor, some deals were destined to go bad. The good criminals knew how to minimize the damage of those deals. Boss considered himself a pretty good criminal so when he saw an ominous blue light emerge from the other side of the coal mine, he saw it as a sign that his associates had failed to contain Nitro. That was his cue to slip away.

"Will you quit driving like a pussy and step on it already?" shouted one of Boss's body guards, "That light show behind us is getting too flashy for my tastes."

"I'm going as fast as I can," replied the driver, "This van wasn't built for shitty back roads."

"Forget about damaging the rims. Just gun it already!"

"Both of you, pipe down!" said Boss firmly, "Bickering will not make us go any faster."

The two body guards and the driver fell silent, fearing Boss's wrath almost as much as the explosion. He earned his title by taking big chances. Having a walking bomb on their side would have been a potent weapon and a lucrative resource. It was too bad Nitro had to be so _stubborn_ with them. However, Boss was not deterred.

The mood inside the van remained tense as they neared the front gates of the mine. The light behind them continued growing, but from the looks of it they were going to outrun it. As the van picked up speed, Boss was already contemplating ways to make this work for them.

"This was risky venture for all of us. It turned out to be riskier than expected, but the potential is still there," mused Boss, "We missed out today. Our friend, Nitro, is clearly going through some growing pains."

"Those pains may turn our boys back there to bird chow," commented his body guard.

"Well it's _their_ own fault for not being efficient enough. They should have handled Nitro more carefully. They don't understand that he's an immature child. Like any immature child, he'll grow out of it. Then we'll be able to make another offer."

"You think he'll change his mind?" asked his second body guard.

"I doubt it, but I'm sure we'll find a way to _convince_ him," said Boss wryly, "He's a mutant and mutants are the future, my friends. It's an untapped market that's ripe for the picking. I plan on getting in at the ground floor. Once the dust settles from this incident, we'll be ready to…"

Suddenly, the van was brought to a screeching halt. Boss was thrown from his seat in mid-sentence and so were his body guards. It was like they just ran into steel column.

"Ungh! What the hell just happened?" barked one of the body guards, now rubbing his head.

"Uh…we just hit something, Boss," said the driver in a daze.

"Then drive over it already!"

"That's…going to be a problem," he replied, his voice filled with dread.

From the front seat, the driver was staring at an obstacle that was not going to let him through. That obstacle was Warpath. Just as the van was about to reach the main entrance, the Native American mutant jumped out in front of them and dug his feet into the ground.

The van had no chance when it hit him. Now he had his hands firmly dug into the hood. If that show of strength wasn't intimidating enough, the anger in his eyes only added to the driver's fear.

"Your boys just shot my girlfriend. So I'm taking my anger out on _you_!" barked Warpath as he rocked the van with his strength.

"Ahhhhhh! What the hell are you talking about?" the driver exclaimed.

"I think he means to say we're making our escape on foot!" said the Boss from the back.

Despite the shaking, Boss only had minor injuries and was able to open the side door. One of his body guards had a concussion and was in no condition to follow. Since the glowing light in the distance was getting worse, he was in no condition to aid him. So as soon as Boss was out of the van, he prepared to run.

"We're really going to try and outrun this thing?" exclaimed the other body guard that wasn't concussed.

"Unless you want to take that chance, you're welcome to keep up!" said Boss.

With his eyes set on the main entrance, Boss took his first step. It ended up being his last because another obstacle literally fell from the sky in the form of large metal shards. They struck within mere inches of his feet. They were sharp as well, cutting his oversized trench coat in the process. It was enough to make him fall back towards the van.

"Oh no you don't, Don Corleone! You're going to stick around for the show _and_ the after party," said the menacing voice of Angel from above.

"By after party, he means your arrest or the cleanup of what's left of you." said Warpath, still gripping the van.

"More mutants…figures," groaned Boss, "Surely ,we can be _reasonable_ about this?"

"Save your reasons. Unless I need to remind you that these wings aren't made of feathers," said Angel.

The winged mutant flexed his techno-organic wings, forming dozens of sharp tips and arching them so that they were pointed right at Boss. He got the message and slowly inched back towards his van. His body guards stayed put, not testing Angel's patience. Angel made sure they didn't try and take the cowards way out. He kept his wings pointed at them, ensuring they would be here to face the consequences of what they instigated.

With each thug secure, Warpath smashed through the front of the van to take out the engine. It further stifled their escape while giving him a means to vent his anger. Moments ago, Emma Frost gave them a telepathic update on what was happening with Nitro. It wasn't pretty. He was poised to explode again thanks to Boss's thugs. The X-men showed up as well and Storm had been shot. It left him with plenty of reasons to be enraged in addition to facing another massive explosion.

"I'll let Cyclops know we've secured our wannbe Godfathers," said Angel.

"Any idea if he plans on preventing this mine from becoming a crater?" asked Warpth.

"He'll figure something out. He always does," assured Angel.

"If by chance he doesn't, at least let me break some bones with these guys," said the Native American, cracking his knuckles as he stared down Boss, "They deserve a little discomfort just for what they did to Storm. Never mind the whole putting an entire town at risk."

"I can appreciate your feelings for assholes like this, but we're not here to break bones. We have a mission and it hasn't blown up in our faces yet."

"But it's about to," quipped Warpath, "Mission or no mission, somebody back there better do something. This kid blowing up is gonna suck for both X-Force _and_ the X-men!"

* * *

 **Scranton Coal Mines - Quarry**

"Any ideas, fellas? This kid's gonna blow any second!" exclaimed Rogue.

"I'm working on it," said Captain Freeman, who backed away from the glowing light.

"Well, work faster!" shouted Psylocke, "You're the bloody field leader! _Lead_ already!"

The X-men faced a very volatile problem in the form of a very volatile mutant. They successfully subdued the gang of thugs that tried to rough Nitro up. This didn't stop Nitro from building up enough energy to explode. With clouds of coal dust surrounding them, there was potential for far greater damage.

Captain Freeman watched as Nitro levitated above the ground. His eye glowed bright white and his whole body was surrounded by a growing ball of bluish energy. It was so bright that it lit up the cloudy skies above them. It grew to the point where it was hard to see the volatile mutant through the haze of energy.

The Green Beret struggled to formulate a plan. He steadily backed away with Beast and Colossus, who had been trying to help the unfortunate mutant and had to fall back as well. They met up with Rogue and Psylocke, who had since left the defeated thugs behind. By the time they reached Phoenix, Gambit, and the wounded Storm it became clear that there was nowhere to run.

"CAN'T…CONTAIN IT…MUCH LONGER!" exclaimed Nitro from within the blinding light.

"Talk to me, X-men! What are our option?" exclaimed the Green Beret.

"Ain't that that gizmo you brought supposed to prevent this, Beast?" questioned Gambit as he helped Storm back to her feet.

"It was, but I never got a chance to _test_ it," dreaded Beast, "I tried placing it on him, but…"

"No need to explain. It didn't work. We get it," groaned Captain Freeman.

"That's not entirely true. It could still work. If someone could just brave this ionic storm and retrieve it…"

"Wait…are you telling me you dropped it?" exclaimed Phoenix.

Beast shrugged innocently. She made it sound as though it was easy to concentrate under these circumstances. The rest of the team let out a groan of frustration. This whole predicament was getting worse by the second.

"If it is still working, then Rogue and I could try and retrieve it. We can take the punishment," suggested Colossus.

"Well good luck finding it!" grunted Captain Freeman.

"Say that doesn't work. Can't we just knock him out with a psychic attack or something?" wondered Rogue.

"What do you think I've been _trying_ to do?" said Psylocke, who was clutching her temples anxiously.

"If you haven't succeeded by now, then it stands to reason that we're too late," said Beast, now having to shield his eyes.

"I could try and kick up some winds. At least we can move the blast up and away from the mine," said Storm, still wincing from the pain in her leg, "But I've never attempted it on one leg before."

"I don't think Mother Nature will be much help to us here, Storm," said Captain Freeman, "Phoenix, what are the chances you can contain the blast with your telekinesis?"

"With the Phoenix Force…maybe 50-50," she replied, "Without it…well, I was never good at long division."

"So what does that mean? We be screwed now?" said Gambit as he and Phoenix helped move Storm back from the glowing light.

"He hasn't blown yet, X-men. We can still stop this!" yelled Captain Freeman, "Someone just needs to get that damn device and make it work!"

It was every bit as hard as it sounded. The bluish light continued growing, so much so that it was hard to see if the device was still intact. All they could clearly make out was Nitro's pained cries. Even if they could make it through, they might not be able to get there in time. The situation was dire and under Captain Freeman's leadership, the X-men hesitated to act.

However, the X-men weren't the only ones watching this situation with dread. Before the fight against Boss's thugs even ended, X-Force had been closely watching the conflict. They started out from the top of a jagged hill. Once Nitro started glowing, they moved in closer. The X-men weren't making a move so it looked as though X-Force would have to act.

"Any reason why we're running head first _towards_ this kid?" barked Wolverine, feeling the energy within the air growing around them.

"We're doing what the X-men won't, Wolverine. We're going to stop this before we're all specks of coal dust!" said Cyclops.

"I hope zhis means you have a plan, mien friend," said Nightcrawler, who was trying to keep up.

"I do and it involves the both of you," said the former X-leader, "Emma's been feeding me stray thoughts from the others. She says Beast had a device that was supposed to inhibit this guy's powers. He tried to activate it, but he dropped it."

"Beast dropped one of his toys? The X-men must _really_ be slipping without us." commented Wolverine.

"Since it's just a few feet away from ground zero, that means Nightcrawler will have to teleport you into it so you can activate the device," said Cyclops, "You're the one with the healing factor and you've worked with Beast on the Danger Room. You're the only one who can do this!"

It was a dangerous and potentially painful plan. They stopped running to take cover behind what was left of one of the trucks used by the loan shark's thugs. They took cover from the blinding light. Looking out into the volatile ball of energy, Wolverine let out a determined grunt.

"So let me get this straight…you want Elf to plop me in that shit, work one of Beast's gizmos, and get my ass burnt to a crisp?" Wolverine surmised.

"Simply put…yes," was all Cyclops said.

Wolverine's determined grunt turned to a grin.

"Sounds like fun," he said, "I'm ready when you are, Elf!"

"Only you can sound zhis excited at a time like zhis," groaned Nightcrawler, "No vonder your dating my mother."

For once, Wolverine didn't stick around and belittle Cyclops's plan. Nitro was about to explode and they needed to act. Despite the blinding light, Nightcrawler grabbed onto Wolverine's shoulders and prepared for a very rough teleport. He stayed behind him so that Wolverine would take the brunt of the energy. Once he transported them, the final countdown began.

"EVERYBODY…GET…AWAY!" yelled Nitro, clutching his sides in agony.

The volatile mutant let out an ominous burst, indicating that he was getting close. He was trying to delay it for as long as he possibly could. He concentrated so hard that he didn't even notice Wolverine and Nightcrawler appearing in front of him. They emerged only a few feet from him. So much energy made the air hot and stale. Sparks started to fly from the hair on their bodies and Wolverine's flesh was burned by the discharges. It was a painful position, but the feral mutant never lost focus.

Through the pain, Wolverine found the device Beast had dropped at his feet. It was still intact and already turned on. Having worked with Beast's gadgets before, he had a pretty good idea of how it worked. If it was anything like an inhibitor collar, he just had to put it on this kid and hope it didn't get shredded.

"Hurry up, Wolverine! My fur…is starting to burn!" exclaimed Nightcrawler, trying hard to stay behind his friend.

"Errrrrr! Quit your whining! This won't…take…long!" grunted Wolverine.

Clutching the device, Wolverine pushed hard against the radiating energy. It was like trying to push back against ocean tides. By now, a good chunk of his face had been burned off. The former living weapon endured the pain, pushing forward as hard as he could.

When he finally reached the hovering mutant, he roughly slammed the device against his chest. As soon as it was on, he felt a couple of hard clamps latch onto his sides. From there, a red light on the front of the device turned green and a series of yellowish sparks erupted from inside it.

"Hnn…what the? Something feels…AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Nitro cried out.

"We're done! Get us the fuck outta here, Elf!" said Wolverine.

Nightcrawler didn't have to be told twice. He quickly teleported them both out of the chaos. As soon as they were gone, the device took effect.

The blinding blue energy that had been growing around Nitro started reversing course and was soon replaced with a greenish aura that surrounded his hovering figure. It caused Nitro's body to contort awkwardly. It was like something was stretching him in a very uncomfortable manner. Within moments, the energy shrank to a point where it was no longer blinding. The explosion that would have done so much damage never happened.

This came as a pleasant surprise to the X-men. They were all bracing themselves for an explosion. Rogue and Colossus were still waiting for the order from Captain Freeman. It never came. It was no longer necessary. As they watched the bluish ball of energy rapidly shrink, they were confronted by a new round of concerns.

"What the hell? Remy ain't hearin' no big bang," said Gambit.

"That is a good thing, yes?" said Colossus.

"It depends on who did what and under who's orders," said Captain Freeman apprehensively.

"Orders or not, it looks like my device has been activated," said Beast, who recognized the energy signature, "It's inhibiting Mr. Hunter's powers, but…"

"Please don't tell me there's a _but_ you forgot to mention," groaned Psylocke.

"I designed the device to inhibit mutant abilities. Not to quell _immense_ volumes of ionic energy."

"I'll try and redirect it. I shouldn't need a cosmic force for _that_ ," said Phoenix as she prepared her mind.

"While you're at it, see if you can find out who did this. That thing didn't activate itself. Someone is here and I'd like to know who they are!" ordered Captain Freeman.

"But focus on the ionic energy," said Beast, "That is a far more pressing concern."

Phoenix was more inclined to listen to Beast rather than Captain Freeman. He was no Cyclops, that was for sure. Even though she shared his suspicions that there were other forces currently in play, she was content to focus on more immediate dangers.

The glowing energy continued to swirl around Nitro. Phoenix stepped forth and used her telekinetic might to redirect some of that chaos, focusing it upward into the clouds where it could disperse harmlessly. In the process, it caused the clouds above to erupt in brilliant flashes of lightning that could be seen for miles. It would have been a lot easier with the Phoenix Force active, but she was able to mitigate some of the danger. She was careful to make sure that the swirling energy didn't ignite the surrounding coal dust. As the chaos waned, the X-men carefully approached the beleaguered young man.

As the energy continued to shrink, Nitro collapsed to his knees on the rocky ground. He was still breathing hard and weakened from all the strain. His eyes kept glowing, but he no longer felt the building pressure.

"Ugh…did I blow up yet?" he groaned, "What's this thing on my chest?"

"It'll be okay, Mr. Hunter. Your powers are contained," assured Beast.

"And I think that's it for the light show," said Phoenix, grunting from the strain, "Sorry if it looked like I was trying to steal your thunder, Storm."

"Since my leg is still broken, I'll let it slide," said Storm, who limped along with help from Gambit.

As Nitro collected himself, he started recognizing the figures around him.

"You…you guys are the X-men," he said.

"If you've seen us on CNN, then you know why we're here," said Psylocke.

"You've had a bad day. We all have," said Captain Freeman, "We're lucky only your buddies got hurt. You put this whole down in more danger than it'll ever deserve."

"Take it easy on him, Captain. We're here to help, remember?" chided Rogue.

"And we will, but we have to contain this situation first," said Captain Freeman assertively, "This kid put on a hell of a horror show. Under MSA authority, Mr. Hunter here must be held accountable. We need to play this carefully or it will blow up in a different, but equally destructive way."

"I get there is protocol for these things, but can we at least _try_ to help him first?" asked Colossus, annoyed with Captain Freeman's attitude.

"Do you guys _really_ want to have this argument now?" groaned the Green Beret.

What was supposed to be a reassuring moment for Robert Hunter quickly turned into infighting. Captain Freeman's approach to addressing a distressed mutant was very different from what the X-men were used to. Professor Xavier taught them to be compassionate for mutants like Nitro. Captain Freeman was acting as though they were arresting the kid for something he had no control over. It distracted the team from their primary mission and it didn't go unnoticed.

From across the quarry, Cyclops watched this debate unfold. He could tell the team was disorganized. They clearly weren't getting along with Captain Freeman. It was a sign that the X-men had issues that went beyond the Mutant Monitoring Initiative.

' _They have a leadership deficiency. They're disorganized in the field. That could work to X-Force's advantage, but it's bound to cause long-term problems.'_

As Cyclops processed the scene before him, Wolverine and Nightcrawler reappeared next to him. When they emerged through a puff of sulfurous smoke, it looked as though they had just walked out of a burning building. Wolverine's face, upper torso, and uniform were highly scarred.

Nightcrawler fared a bit better, but his fur and hair were standing up on end. It looked as though he just soaked up a heavy dose of static electricity. When Cyclops saw them, he had to hold back a humored smirk.

"Start laughing and I _gut_ you in your sleep," snarled Wolverine.

"I wasn't going to. Not intentionally anyways," said Cyclops.

"I hope orders like zhat are rare. I don't zhink my fur can take zhat much punishment," said Nightcrawler, trying to fix his static-laden hair.

"I'll try to make it a rarity, but we have to do what's necessary," said Cyclops as he turned his attention back to Nitro, "We stopped what was sure to be another nasty mutant incident. Now we have to ensure the best possible outcome."

"Well what's wrong with letting Chuck handle this one?" said Wolverine while picking some of the charred flesh off his bones, "The kid's okay. His powers ain't blowing shit up anymore."

"That doesn't take into account what _he_ wants, Wolverine," said Cyclops strongly, "If he lets the X-men and the MSA decide for him, what are they going to choose? How do you think they're going to use or _misuse_ a mutant like this?"

Wolverine groaned and it wasn't because of the sting from his wounds. He hated it when Cyclops made a valid point. He knew firs- hand what authority figures did when they had something that could explode in their arsenal. They always found ways to abuse it.

"I share your concerns, mein friend. But zhe X-men seem to have a firm handle on him," said Nightcrawler as he gazed out towards Nitro, "Short of fighting our friends, how can ve possibly help him?"

"And you know I ain't gonna attack the X-men so don't even think about giving that order," said Wolverine sternly.

Cyclops studied the situation closely, contemplating his next move. He couldn't order X-Force to battle the X-men for possession of this mutant. That would cause far more problems than it would solve. He considered sending Nightcrawler in to teleport Nitro away, but that would be too direct. It would give the MSA all the reasons they needed to label X-Force a mutant terrorist group that abducted mutants against their will. He needed to be more subtle.

While the former X-leader studied the situation, he saw something out of the corner of his eye. One of the thugs the X-men had subdued earlier was still conscious. It was the loan shark that seemed to have a particularly strong hatred of Robert Hunter. He watched as the dazed and clearly wounded man arose.

He still carried his semi-automatic uzi. Since the X-men were so busy bickering, they didn't notice him stammering towards Nitro and raise his gun. As he watched him inch closer to the X-men, a risky if not outrageous idea came to him.

"Cyke! One of those goons is still breathing!" barked Wolverine, who noticed as well.

"I see him, Wolverine,' said Cyclops distantly.

"So why the fuck ain't we doing something about it?"

"Because this is just what we need to end this in our favor," he said cryptically.

Wolverine and Nightcrawler looked at him strangely. Cyclops didn't have time to explain it to them. He made his decision. He began putting it into action by sending a telepathic message to Domino through Emma Frost.

' _Domino, you still got an eye over the quarry?'_

' _Haven't looked away since the first round of gunshots. Why? What's up?'_

' _I've got a plan…a very risky and dangerous plan. It requires you to make another perfect shot.'_

' _Lucky for you, those are the only shots I do.'_

Cyclops quickly laid out his plan for Domino. As he was giving her the necessary orders, the loan shark kept stammering towards Nitro and the X-men. Despite his injuries, he seethed with anger as he pointed his gun right the volatile mutant. The X-men were still arguing amongst themselves so they didn't sense him approaching.

"NITRO!" he yelled, "BLOW YOURSELF TO HELL YOU LITTLE SHIT!"

Before anyone could react, the angry loan shark started firing. Several deafening shots rang out. The X-men quickly stopped their bickering and took cover. However, Nitro was too dazed to get out of the way. One of the bullets hit him right in the upper back, putting his weakened form in a new world of pain.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" Nitro cried out.

"Damn it! Someone take him down!" ordered Captain Freeman.

"I got this," said Gambit, who sprang into action.

Reaching into his trench coat, the Cajun mutant took out a lone card and charged it. He threw it right towards the stammering loan shark, hitting his uzi right at the handle. When it exploded, it nearly blew his hand off. The loan shark cried out and pain and fell to the ground, but the damage had been done.

"Errrrr! Fuck you, X-men! Fuck you…for screwing my shit up!" yelled the loan shark.

"Next time, we'll have to screw it up even more," mused Phoenix as she used some telekinesis to make sure he stayed down, "Loose ends like this _shouldn't_ happen."

"Before you start busting my balls again, hurry up and help the kid!" yelled Captain Freeman, "I'll call in for a medic. And if it makes you feel better, I'll tell the police to be extra _rough_ with these punks!"

"It's a minor consolation, Captain. _Very_ minor," said Colossus as he and the others gathered around the wounded mutant.

While Captain Freeman ran off to call in the MSA, the X-men assessed the damage. Phoenix and Beast carefully laid Nitro down to see the extent of the wound.

It looked bad. The bullet went right through him. It just missed the inhibitor device, but he was bleeding profusely. He had been weak to begin with and while they averted a catastrophe, they could hardly call this mission a success. Their bickering had cost them. Hopefully, it wasn't a sign of things to come.

The mission for the X-men was quickly shifting. Now they had to focus on the far less glorious aspects of damage control. The Professor and the MSA would have quite a story to report to the media. The reaction was bound to be mixed, but it could have been a lot worse.

Still watching from afar, Cyclops took in the scene. So far it was unfolding exactly as he predicted. It looked as though X-Force would have a chance help Nitro after all. Unfortunately, it turned out messier than he expected.

"We're done here, X-Force," said Cyclops, "Nightcrawler, teleport us back to Domino and Emma. I've already told Warpath and Angel to meet us there."

"Hold up, bub! We ain't going anywhere until you tell us what the fuck you let that kid get shot!" barked Wolverine, "Was _that_ part of your plan?"

"I had to improvise. So far, it's working just as I need it to," said the former X-leader.

"I apologize if I'm slow, mein friend. But how does that poor man getting shot vork to our advantage?" said Nightcrawler, who was equally skeptical.

"I'll explain everything. Trust me. Right now, we need to act fast. A bomb didn't go off today, but there are still plenty of ways this could get messy."

Wolverine still wasn't convinced. He kept snarling at the former X-leader, muttering a string of curses under his breath. Nightcrawler was a bit more understanding. Heeding the call for urgency, he grabbed onto his friends and teleported them away. The X-men were making their move. It was time for X-Force to make theirs.

* * *

 **Later**

The dust started settling over Scranton just in time for the evening news. As expected, the dazzling light show caught the attention of the media. It wasn't long before reporters descended upon the area and started asking questions. There would be no ambiguity or spin. It was a major mutant incident. That meant it was going to have repercussions for everyone.

The MSA and local police were certainly relieved to hear from Charles Xavier that Nitro didn't explode. The police chief subsequently lifted the curfew on the town. With help from the MSA, they rounded up Boss and his men. They also called in paramedics to help Nitro. Professor Xavier traveled with them to the quarry so he could assess the situation for himself. Overall, he was relieved, but disappointed.

His X-men were in a conflicted state. Jean, Hank, Remy, Rogue, Betsy, and Piotr kept their distance as the local police and the MSA descended upon the area and started gathering information. They made their statement, but spared few details. They also aided the paramedics in treating Nitro and Ororo.

It looked as though Ororo's wounds were merely superficial. She would not need to go to the hospital. Robert Hunter, however, was in critical condition. Xavier watched as he lay motionless on a gurney while they placed him in a helicopter that would take him to the hospital.

"Ah hell, this kid's still bleeding," said one of the EMTs that were monitoring Robert's vitals, "His pulse and BP are dropping fast. I think one of his lungs just collapsed!"

"Well if we could take this damn chest plate off him we could check and make sure," said a second female EMT, who held an oxygen mask to the young man's face.

"I would _strongly_ advise against that," said Professor Xavier, who stood nearby, "You must keep that device on him at all times."

"You mutants just _love_ making our jobs harder, don't you?" said the other EMT dryly as he stepped into the helicopter.

"Trust me, it's in all our best interests avoid more explosive predicaments."

"Fair enough, but working around this gizmo won't help this kid's chances," said the lead EMT, "Given the extent of his injury, he's got a 50-50 shot at best."

"Do what you can," said Professor Xavier solemnly.

The Professor watched as the EMTs closed the hatch on the helicopter and secured Robert Hunter's prone form. Within moments, the aircraft took off. He kept watching it until it disappeared into the clouds, trying to put this affair into context.

Xavier wasn't the only one conflicted either. Hank McCoy walked up next to him and watched the helicopter disappear as well. He was conflicted like so many others, but for very different reasons. So much of the mission depended on using his device to contain this situation. Even though his prototype had worked, he could hardly call this a success.

"I should have gone with them," mused Hank, "I'm responsible for Mr. Hunter's current condition."

"You're too smart to say such nonsense, old friend. Besides, you heard what the helicopter pilot said. They didn't have enough room for someone of your _stature_ ," said Professor Xavier.

"I'm normally inclined to contest such excuses. This time I haven't the heart. I thought my device would end this quickly and peacefully. Given all the resources I've had with SWORD, there are no excuses for such failure."

"But you _didn't_ fail, Hank. The device worked," Xavier reminded him.

"That's _beside_ the point, Charles. This first prototype was simply not enough. I was in a position to make it work…and I failed. I dropped the device like a child drops a glass of milk. How it ended up on Mr. Hunter's chest still baffles me."

"I've been looking into that," said Xavier, "Both Phoenix and Psylocke agree. Someone else was there. Phoenix thinks it was X-Force. If she's right, then they may still be planning something."

"Even if it was them, it doesn't change the end result," sighed Hank, "We need to be better. I need to _think_ bigger. The old methods don't work. The Mutant Monitoring Initiative has established that. I simply haven't gotten the memo."

"This could have been a lot worse for all of us, Hank. We're lucky it turned out as well as did."

"That luck will run out eventually. As soon as I get back to SWORD, I'm stepping up my efforts. I must venture into unexplored territory. It's not enough to be resourceful. We must effectively _use_ those resources if we're to succeed."

Professor Xavier offered some additional consolation. However, it only went so far. On many levels, he agreed with Hank.

The Mutant Monitoring Initiative gave the X-men so many new resources. They had the full support of the MSA and the international community. There was no reason for them to endure predicaments such as this. What seemed to hold them back from doing their job was _disorganization_. This mission made it painfully obvious.

As he mused over these issues, he turned his attention towards the X-men. They had gathered around a hospital van that wasn't far from the police line where reporters were gathering. Their spirits were somewhat down. They were watching Ororo, who was on crutches after getting treatment from an EMT. There wasn't much to say about a mission like this. When Captain Freeman finally joined them after chatting with other officers, he was very blunt.

"Well I just got off the line with General Grimshaw. Everyone on his end agrees. Our performance was _unacceptable_ ," said Captain Freeman.

"He knows that the kid _didn't_ explode, does he?" said Rogue dryly.

"That was a lucky fluke. We won't get too many of those going forward so we should all be pretty pissed at ourselves. It wasn't supposed to get _this_ bad."

"Clearly, you ain't been with the X-men that long. It tends to get bad no matter what the hell we do," said Remy in a humored tone.

"You think this is funny?" scolded Captain Freeman, "You think this pitiful excuse for a mission is _funny_?"

"Hey, what are you getting mad at us for?" exclaimed Phoenix, " _You're_ the field leader! Isn't a leader supposed to actually _lead_?"

"Don't lash out at me because I'm not your ex-boyfriend, Grey!"

"I don't care if you are a fucking Green Beret! You bring Scott into this conversation and you'll have an angry telepath on your hands! And trust me…you _don't_ want that!"

Jean was getting pretty worked up. She stormed over to the mutant soldier, looking ready to unleash a full-blown psychic attack. Psylocke and Colossus held her back, albeit barely.

"None of us want that, Jean. Please do not make us want it less," urged Colossus.

"I think what she's _trying_ to say is you can't expect us to do our jobs when you bicker over petty crap like this," said Psylocke in a calmer tone.

"It shouldn't matter who's in charge. It shouldn't prevent us from completing our mission," said Captain Freeman.

"You're right. It _shouldn't_. But it does," she replied.

"As far as I'm concerned, we're all responsible. We let Robert Hunter down by worrying about the mission more than his own well-being," said Ororo, still leaning on her crutches, "We hesitated to act. It led to that poor boy getting shot. It almost led to a national tragedy."

"Well we wouldn't have hesitated if _someone_ had given us some clear orders," said Rogue.

"Quit trying to dump this on me, Rogue!" said Captain Freeman defensively, "You guys were fighting me every step of the way. If I had given you the order to run into that glowing ball of danger, would you have done it without busting my balls?"

"I don't think that really matters now, does it?" scoffed Jean, who still had to be restrained by Colossus and Psylocke, "Apparently, _someone_ was more organized than us!"

"Like who? X-Force?" scoffed Captain Freeman, "I bet that would make you happy. If somehow your ex was there to show us up."

"You insensitive asshole!" exclaimed Jean as she lashed out at him again.

"Damn it, comrade Freeman! Must you keep testing Jean's temper? Even my strength has limits!" said Colossus, having to hold her back once more.

The disorganization and animosity was apparent. The X-men were not sharing the sorrow of having mishandled a mission. They were arguing amongst one another, allowing anger and petty disagreements to divide them. It was _not_ how the X-men were supposed to operate. Captain Freeman's apprehensive attitude certainly didn't help.

For Charles Xavier, it was a difficult sight. This was just one mission and his X-men were letting it divide them. Before they could lash out at each other any further, he stepped in with Hank to address them.

"That's quite enough name-calling for one night. I insist you all calm yourselves!" he said in a calm yet firm tone.

"Tell that to _him_ ," said Jean bitterly, gesturing towards Captain Freeman.

"He was the field leader for this mission. I'm directing my disappointment towards him as well. He knows what he did wrong. I'm sure General Grimshaw will be harsher with him than he is with the rest of you so please don't make it worse by casting blame!"

The team was silenced under Professor Xavier's stern presence. Even Captain Freeman's hostility waned. They were all responsible for this mission, no matter who was leading it. They weren't making it easier by yelling at each other. They had to take responsibility for their failures.

"I'm sorry, X-men," said Captain Freeman with a sigh, "You're right about my leadership. I'm _not_ used to leading any more than you're used to following me."

"I guess we were holding you to an unreasonable standard," said Psylocke with a tough of humility.

"We're all too dang used to how Cyclops handles things," added Rogue, "And you sure as hell ain't him."

"Nor would we expect you to be," said Ororo.

"You're expecting too much of each other and not enough of yourselves," Professor Xavier went on, "You were disorganized, unfocused, and hesitant. It put this town of innocent people at risk. You shouldn't be okay with that. You should strive to do better."

"You ain't gotta rub it in, Professor. We know we screwed up," said Remy.

"Then the best way to respond is to learn from it. This isn't the first time the X-men have been defeated. Chances are it won't be the last. However, the margin for error is _much_ smaller this time. The Mutant Monitoring Initiative has raised the stakes for us all. Now we don't know how Hank's device was activated. We don't know what role X-Force had to play, if any. These are situations that we cannot control. Our operations may change, but our goal has not. We must do more and do it _better_."

"No one is against doing better, Professor," said Jean, still trying to calm herself, "With all these new resrouces at our disposal, it just feels like we're not making progress."

"That will change with time," the Professor assured her, "Remember, we cannot operate as we once did. We must rethink our approach to being X-men. It won't be easy. It may not even be comfortable at times, but it's necessary. I _cannot_ stress that enough. The world is watching us, X-men. They're expecting us to be better. Let's not let them down."

The Professor's words were inspiring, but were also filled with a less-than-subtle urging. He expected more from them. Looking at one another, they saw a team in disarray. They needed to pull it together because under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative it wasn't just Xavier's scrutiny that they had to worry about.

While the team was musing over this mission, the police barrier at the rear of the quarry opened. The MSA had let local reporters in and they all had plenty of questions. Most would likely go to Charles Xavier for answers and he had no attention of avoiding them.

"Charles, I believe the second most daunting task of this mission is upon us," announced Hank.

"That would be the paparazzi, I assume," said Betsy.

"It's another aspect of this initiative that we'll have to adapt to," sighed Professor Xavier, "I'll deal with them, X-men. The rest of you prepare for your debriefing."

"What are you going to tell them, Charles?" asked Ororo.

"The truth," he replied, "Although at times like this, the truth is rarely sufficient."

* * *

 **Academy of Tomorrow – Lounge**

There were many hidden costs to being a former X-man. For one, the threshold for boredom was a lot lower. It was too easy to get restless. The prospect of _not_ facing a world-threatening crisis at a moments notice took some getting used to. It was a relief in some ways and a burden in many others.

Bobby Drake was an adventurous person by nature. It was part of what helped him fit into the X-men, despite his young age. So much of his life came to revolve around the X-men. He conditioned himself to deal with the training, the classes, and the life-threatening rigors of the Xavier Institute. For the past six months, it proved difficult to untrain himself. It was so difficult that even the distraction of a beautiful woman wasn't enough.

"Bobby? Are you even listening to me?" said an impatient Amara Aquilla, "I need to know if we're going out or not. I'd like to know if I wasted my father's money on this new perfume."

"Sorry, Amara. But it looks like I'll have to smell you later," he replied while sitting on the couch with Kitty, Julien, Roberto, Noriko, Dani, and Sam.

"Would you even consider tearing yourself away from the TV if I told you I bought new underwear for tonight?" she said.

"I would definitely _consider_ it," Bobby conceded, "But it still wouldn't be enough, I'm afraid."

"Wow…a hot blond in underwear isn't enough for you anymore, Drake? I'm not sure if I should respect you or question your sanity," said Julien Keller with a humored grin.

"This mess in Scranton is _big_. We can't ignore it…even if we should."

Amara frowned at her boyfriend's stubborn attitude. At the same time, she frowned at herself. She had been trying to ignore the many controversies surrounding the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. It was a major source of contention, especially amongst X-Factor. It was a lot harder for them to put on masks and be the heroes they once were.

As a result, everyone at the Academy of Tomorrow was left to watch these various stories surrounding the X-men and the Mutant Monitoring Initiative unfold. It was tough for X-Factor, but even tougher for Bobby and Kitty.

As former X-men, they commanded a certain level of respect from the other students. They even helped train X-Factor. They never hid how miserable they were being left out. Amara tried to make it easier for Bobby when they started dating. She was dealing with forces that even expensive dates and many nights of sending prayers to Venus couldn't solve. While she fumed, the news report on the TV kept blaring.

" _More news from Scranton continues to trickle in by the minute. Moments ago, Professor Charles Xavier of the X-men addressed the media. He confirmed that this incident was mutant related. A young man, whose name is being withheld for privacy reasons, was chased by a local gang to an abandoned coal mine. While details are still unclear, the mutant in question had powers that caused him to explode. A number of smaller explosions were reported earlier. While there were no major injuries, the property damage is significant. As for the mutant himself, Professor Charles Xavier had this to say."_

The report shifted to an earlier recording of the Professor's press conference. He was surrounded by microphones with the X-men in the background, guarded by the MSA. There was a lot of commotion from the reporters. Professor Xavier spoke over every one of them, offering a blunt if not oversimplified assessment.

" _Let me start by making one thing clear. This was NOT a mutant terror incident. This was an accident. The mutant in question was a victim. He didn't understand what was happening to him and a group of unruly criminals took advantage of him. Those criminals have been arrested. As for the mutant, his powers are stable. I cannot describe how they were stabilized at this time. I can only assure that he is no longer a danger. That said, he's in critical condition after incurring a gunshot wound from one of his assailants. His predicament, as well as our poor handling of it, is without excuse. For that reason, I want to assure the public that the X-men and the MSA will strive to do better. Incidents like this are unacceptable. The Mutant Monitoring Initiative must be held to a higher standard and I intend to meet that standard. That is all."_

Upon giving this statement, the Professor retreated behind a barrier of MSA officers. This didn't stop many eager reporters from bombarding him with questions.

" _Professor Xavier! Can you comment on reports that the mutant came within moments of blowing up the whole town?"_

" _What about X-Force? Can you confirm or deny if they were involved?"_

" _Is it true that the X-men have canceled their appearance on the Tonight Show later this week?"_

Kitty decided to mute the report at this point. They had heard enough. It wasn't the first time they had all been transfixed on a news report about the X-men. With the recent emergence of X-Force and the mixed sentiment shared by many on the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, it became more upsetting.

"Well this certainly reeks of all kinds of bullshit," said Kitty as she set the remote aside.

"How can you tell?" asked Noriko, "He said nothing blew up. It's not like there was an obscene body count."

"Believe me, I can tell," she said as she looked at more clips of the incident, "The Professor is a smart man. When he starts sounding like a dumb politician, something is very wrong."

"I see it too, Kitty. It's disturbing in ways that remind me of Kurt's midnight snacks," said Bobby, who kept his serious demeanor even as Amara sat next to him.

"Disturbing how?" asked Roberto, "The way I see it, an exploding mutant could have played out in far worse ways."

"It may be worse than we think," said Sam, who was fixated on his phone, "These YouTube videos that just hit the web tell a different story. They show this big glowing light rising from the coal mine. Looked too dang close to going off if you ask me."

"It _was_ too close. The Professor wouldn't be making excuses like this if it wasn't," said Kitty.

"Even if it was, I don't think it's in anyone's interest to obsess over it," said Danielle, "That will only give people more reasons to doubt Professor Xavier's initiative."

"I don't see why that's a bad thing," said Julian, "I sure as hell didn't care for it. I know I'm not the only one. Every time I bring it up with Laura, it looks like she wants to stab someone."

"Isn't that how she always looks?" teased Roberto.

"I'm inclined to share her homicidal impulses," said grumbled Kitty, "The more I hear Professor Xavier talk about this stuff, the more I'm convinced he's turned into a complete asshole."

"That's being too harsh, Kitty. Not that I would expect anything less from you," teased Bobby.

"Well I have some damn good reasons to be harsh! My old home blew up, I had to leave the X-men, and now I've been forced into a long-distance relationship with my boyfriend!"

"I think you're confusing bitterness with excuses, Kitty," Danielle Moonstar pointed out.

"Doesn't make a difference either way," scoffed Kitty, "The X-men used to tango with Magneto, Sinister, and the Mutant Liberation Front. They were never cocky, but they were never incompetent either. If the X-men struggle this much against some poor mutant with a volatile power, then they'll be _completely_ screwed when a bigger threat emerges."

"And if the X-men fail, it's bad for _everybody_ ," added Bobby.

The young mutants looked back towards the TV, which was still replaying clips of the report from Scranton. It was written on the faces of the X-men. They were frustrated, disorganized, and restless. Since the X-men were the inspiration for X-Factor, it struck them all on a profound level. It led some to speculate as well. What would this mean for the X-men and the Mutant Monitoring Initiative?

Having heard these serious concerns, Amara decided to stop fuming. Now leaning against her restless boyfriend, she started watching the muted broadcast as well. She was not in Nova Roma anymore. These conflicts were sure to affect her. Since she was dating a former X-man, they were sure to affect her even more.

"So if I am not to be as harsh as Kitty, the X-men are _shaken_ ," Amara summerized.

"That's the most polite way of putting it, but yes," said Bobby.

"So what do we do about it?" she asked.

"A better question would be what _can_ we do about it?" said Sam, "You all heard what Sunfire and Miss Frost said. We can't go out and play hero no more."

"I think she said that just because she had to," said Dani, "She's made no secret of how much she despises the Mutant Monitoring Initiative."

"Well if she hates it so much, then why does she go along with it?" questioned Kitty, "She hasn't made much of a scene every time some poor mutant is forced to join this school when they clearly don't want to."

"She's Emma Frost. She's a complicated woman and I would rather _not_ defy her," said Noriko.

"But defying the initiative may be what's making the team so wary," Bobby speculated, "We've all seen how X-Force has stolen some of the X-men's thunder. They may be onto something."

"Well can't you just call up Cyclops, Wolverine, or that Nightcrawler guy?" asked Roberto, "You and Kitty are former X-men. Don't you keep in touch with them?"

"Don't you think we've tried?" retorted Kitty, "They're working under the radar. For all I know, the MSA is monitoring every call I make and every website I visit."

"Guess that means you can't do naughty web-shows for your boyfriend," teased Julian.

"Shut up, Julian! You're _not_ helping. It was bad enough when they didn't invite us to join."

"Somehow I think your parents and the school would have noticed if you joined a secret mutant team," Dani pointed out.

"If you think that would be enough to stop me, then you guys clearly don't understand what it means to be an X-men," said Kitty in a stronger tone.

She made a compelling point. X-Factor was still young and inexperienced. They had yet to push themselves. As soon as word came down from the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, they hung up their costumes. That said a lot about their dedication.

Being in X-Factor brought with it many inherent risks, but they never had to fight just to keep taking those risks. It led them to question just how much being on a team like X-Factor meant to them. As they watched images of the demoralized X-men, they realized it meant more than they expected.

Bobby and Kitty exchanged glances while the rest of X-Factor pondered the issues at hand. Amara took it more seriously as well. As much as she preferred going out on dates, this was becoming a big part of her life. She couldn't afford to avoid it any longer.

"Maybe I asked the wrong question," said Amara, "I don't think there's anything we can do to change the current state of affairs."

"Spoken like a princess who has never had to worry about anything," said Julian, rolling his eyes.

"Again, Julian… _not_ helping," barked Kitty in a way that helped silence him.

"Let me say it another way…I don't think there's anything we _should_ do to change the state of affairs. Like the story of Icarus, we don't want to fly too close to the sun…less our wings melt."

"You're assuming we even _have_ wings, Amara," said Sam.

"I think we do. Are we not in the same school where all these unfortunate mutants are being sent? Are we not in a position to reach out to them?" Amara questioned.

"I thought we've been doing that," said Dani, "Miss Frost has us greet every new mutant that arrives."

"We also have to cheer them up after they get their oh so fun _checkup_ with Dr. Nemesis," said Noriko, not hiding how much she dreaded that duty.

"So we have a sizable group of young mutants who are nervous, scared, and maybe a little angry at the Mutant Monitoring Initiative," Amara went on, "If I were to channel my inner Aristotle, I would reason that it's only a matter of time before we face an incident like the one they faced in Scranton."

"I don't know much about Aristotle, but I can't say I disagree," Noriko.

"Me neither, but I still don't see the point," said Kitty with lingering bitterness.

"My point is when that incident happens, we might be in a better position to do something," she surmised, "If we can demonstrate a flaw in the Mutant Monitoring Initiative for all to see, then that could make quite a statement…one that could go much further than simple defiance."

Everyone turned towards Amara with new intrigue. A few minutes ago, she was complaining about her boyfriend not taking her out on a date. Now she sounded like the only one with a logical idea.

It was easy to forget that they were close to the front lines in this conflict. The X-men may still do the heavy lifting, but the Academy of Tomorrow was ground zero for many upset mutants. As the incident and Scranton just proved, it only took one to cause a major problem. This meant that X-Factor wasn't as sidelined as they thought.

"Okay, I take back any dumb blond jokes I may have let slip," said Julian.

"In that case, I _won't_ set your underwear drawer on fire this weekend," said Amara with a grin.

"Brains, beauty, _and_ a great idea just when we need it. No wonder I'm falling head over heels in love with you!" said Bobby as he proudly hugged his girlfriend.

"Glad you're so happy, Bobby. Like you ever have a right to complain anymore," said Kitty, having to look away so she didn't recall how much she missed Piotr.

"Ah see what you're getting at, Amara," said Sam, "But if and when some angry mutant blows his top, how are we gonna know the signs?"

"Have you forgotten we have three telepathic triplets that owe us their lives?" Roberto pointed out.

"You want us to get help from Emma's daughters? I'm pretty sure she'd take issue with that," said Dani.

"It's a chance worth taking. I couldn't call myself an X-man if I wasn't willing to take risks," said Bobby as he stood up from the couch, "Even if they don't help us, this should be our new mission. For all we know, there's some funny business going on right under our noses. The X-men aren't going to sniff it out. Neither will X-Force. So if being in X-Factor is really important to you guys, you'll take that chance as well!"

Being a former X-man, Bobby Drake's words carried a lot of weight. Kitty didn't need convincing. She was up for any action after six months of laborious classwork. Julian, Dani, Noriko, Sam, Roberto, and Julian all exchanged glances. They hadn't had a chance to be X-Factor under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. Now they had one and they were going to take it because the X-men sure weren't going to.

* * *

 **Lee Claremont Memorial Hospital**

' _Robert…it's time to wake up.'_

"Hnn…" groaned a groggy and confused Robert Hunter.

The powerful voice in his head reverberated like an echo. It steadily drew him out of his unconscious state. He tried opening his eyes, but there was nothing but a blurry light. For a moment, it felt as though this was it.

"Oh no…I'm dead, aren't I?" he groaned.

' _Don't be ridiculous. That's just the morphine talking.'_

The voice was a lot more forceful this time. It certainly didn't sound like the kind of voice he would expect to hear during death. It jolted him back to conscious reality. Along with reality came a reminder of the injuries he sustained.

His chest was still burning and his left arm partially numb. He quickly remembered being shot by his loan shark after narrowly avoiding another explosion. He also remembered that someone had helped him during those fateful moments and they were now standing over him.

Emma Frost gave him a few more telepathic shoves, causing Robert to tense uncomfortably. Scott, Logan, Kurt, Warren, James, and Domino stood next to her. They were no doctors or hospital officials nearby except for two morticians sleeping soundly in a chair behind them. This was also Emma's doing. Her telepathy was once again the key to making their plan work.

"Go easy on him, Emma. He's still out of it," coaxed Warren.

"Morphine will do that," said Emma, "But if it's all the same to you, I would rather not spend too much time in a morgue."

"Why? Because dead bodies don't appreciate that surgically enhanced wit of yours?" quipped Domino.

"Wait…I'm in a morgue?" said Robert Hunter, now even more confused.

"Take it easy, Mr. Hunter," said Scott as he helped the young man sit up, "Yes, you're in a morgue. Yes, you're _not_ dead. I know you have a lot of questions. We're here to answer them."

"We? Who's we?"

"Who else? The guys who saved your ass, bub," Logan pointed out.

Robert rubbed his eyes and took in his surroundings. Sure enough, he was in a morgue. He was lying on a table meant for dead bodies. The air was cold and sterile, the stench of death apparent throughout the room. On the tables to his right were a series of ominous-looking surgical tools. It looked like they were meant for him.

He tried getting off the table, but was quickly reminded that he still had a gunshot wound. He winced as he struggled to stay upright, blocking out the pain while his mysterious rescuers explained his situation.

"I'll start with what you remember," said Scott, "Those explosions you caused were the result of your mutation. Technically speaking, you have the ability to build up ionic energy and release it."

"I don't need to know the details. I figured I was a mutant or something. So far I can safely say that it sucks ass," groaned Robert.

"Well those _friends_ of yours sure didn't help," Warpath pointed out, "Near as we could tell, chasing you only agitated your powers. It nearly blew the whole town to hell."

"But that didn't happen. Aside from the _unflattering_ injuries those thugs sustained, nobody else was hurt," assured Scott, "Nobody else has to get hurt because of your powers. We saved the device that prevented you from going off again. We'll let you keep it so you can control your new abilities."

Warren handed the former X-leader the device they retrieved from the doctors. He gave it to Robert, who looked at it curiously. It was unsettling how the disk-shaped contraption was the key to controlling his destructive powers. He still remembered vividly how much damage he caused. Between that and his gunshot wound, Robert Hunter had many reasons to be troubled.

"I know what you're going through right now," said Scott, offering the young man a comforting gesture, "You're worried about losing control and how it's going to affect your life. It's why I have to wear this visor every hour of every day. It's why we can never go back to what we considered a _normal_ life."

"If you're trying to lift my spirits, you're doing a lousy job," grumbled Robert.

"If you're expecting Cyke to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, you're expecting _way_ too fucking much," commented Logan.

"I'm not here to be your counselor. I'm here to lay out your options," Scott went on, "I can tell you how it would have played out if we hadn't shown up. Your wounds would heal. You would then be released from the hospital and into the custody of the MSA. For the next few weeks, MSA officials and bureaucrats would argue over what to do with you. With powers like yours, you would qualify for what they call _special consideration_. Your life would be more heavily monitored than most mutants. You would probably be forced into special classes at the Academy of Tomorrow where you would stay indefinitely. Years would go by and you would be stuck with no way of living your own life."

"I guess it could be worse," grumbled Robert, "If nothing else, it would keep my old loan shark and his buddies off my back."

"Forget about the past for a moment, Mr. Hunter. What do _you_ want? Say you had a chance to decide for yourself. What would you do with it?"

Robert looked up at Scott with conflicted eyes. It was an overwhelming prospect, deciding what to do with his life after having screwed up so much. He once sought an easy life, one where he didn't have to work so hard just to end up like his blue collar parents. He had been willing to break the law to get it and that nearly killed him, along with many innocent people. A low-life like him should be in jail right now. However, being in jail would hardly make up for what he had done.

"I can tell you're a kid who's made some bad decisions and even worse friends," said Domino, "Trust me when I say it's not easy to make up for it, but it sure is worth it."

"We wouldn't have gone through the trouble of setting up this elaborate ruse if we didn't think you had a good heart to salvage," added Kurt.

"Ruse? What ruse?" asked Robert.

"I was just getting to that," said Scott, "In order to give you the necessary options, we resorted some _deceptive_ tactics."

"By deceptive, he means that we're the reason you were shot," said Warpath.

"What?! You _shot_ me?" he exclaimed.

"Hear us out before you hate us, kid," said Logan, "It was either us or that loan shark friend of yours. And trust me, he would've shot you in ways that morphine _wouldn't_ help."

"That's where my sharp-shooting skills and my uncanny luck comes in," said Domino with a grin, "I made it so your loan shark buddy missed each shot. Then I fired a carefully aimed shot of my own to wound you in _just_ the right way."

"How does wounding me count as right?" said Robert in a mix of outrage and confusion.

"The only right wound is the one you can heal from," Scott answered, "It takes a perfect shot to create that kind of wound that's also serious enough to be classified as _lethal_."

"And since I'm a perfect shot, I'm happy to say you're welcome!" said Domino.

Robert looked at the woman strangely. The sting of his bullet wound was still painful. It was hard not to feel a certain level of anger, but at the same time they seemed genuine. For that reason, he decided to hear them out.

"She didn't hit any major organs or arteries so it was pretty easy for the doctors to treat you," Scott went on, "However, that's not what we had them _think_."

"What do you mean?" asked Robert in confusion.

"Rather than explain the intricate details, I'll just say I modestly tweaked a few memories," said Emma proudly.

"By tweaked she means she purposefully twisted the thoughts of every doctor, police officer, and MSA operative into thinking you died from your wound," Warpath explained, "As a result, they moved you down here to the morgue. As we speak, the MSA is processing your death certificate. Far as they know, Robert Hunter is no longer a problem."

"Now before you get outraged again, let me point out that we can undo this very easily at this point," said Scott quickly, "If you want, you can go along with the MSA and the Academy of Tomorrow. Emma will tell you first hand that it's a viable option."

"It is. Even if it's not as viable as it once was," she affirmed with a touch of sorrow as she mused over the many changes to her school.

"But we also want to give you a choice," said the X-Force leader, "If you choose to stay dead, X-Force can help you forge a new identity. You'll have a chance to make up for past mistakes on your own accord. You won't have to rely on the Mutant Monitoring Initiative to do it for you. That, of course, depends on how willing you are to take this chance."

"That way I know if I have to wipe your mind of this conversation," said Emma, earning her a look from the others.

"Pay no attention to my ex-girlfriend's _terrible_ sense of humor," said Scott, maintaining a serious tone, "This is what X-Force does. We give mutants a chance to live their lives outside the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. We don't think it's right for any authority to decide what a mutant should do with their lives. For some, going along with the government's plan works. For others, it doesn't. With that in mind, I ask that you make your decision now. Afterwards, we hope you never have to hear from us again."

"Keeping in mind we have a one-strike-and-you're-out policy," added Logan, "You get once chance to live under the radar. You screw it up and we ain't gonna be there to save you again."

"So decide now how hard you're willing to work to make a new life for yourself. That way we can all get out of this dreary morgue," said Kurt.

Robert Hunter faced a critical decision. For most of his life, he avoided those decisions. He always took the easy way out. He never truly applied himself. This felt like his last opportunity to do something respectable with his life.

He had this mutant power that was dangerous and volatile. By handing himself over to the MSA, he would surrender control and responsibility to others. Looking down at his bullet wound, he felt the literal sting of that attitude. He didn't want to feel this sting again. So with a determination he never mustered before, Robert Hunter made his decision.

"You guys are taking a hell of a risk, giving a mutant like me a second chance," said Robert, "I could blow myself up again and make a bad situation _so_ much worse."

"We live in a time where we _have_ to take those risks," said James, "If we don't, then no one else will."

"That alone makes you either the ballsiest or craziest guys I've ever met," he said with a wry grin, "If you're willing to be that brazen for a runt like me, then I have no excuse. I'll take that risk as well."

Scott and the rest of X-Force smiled at his decision. This elaborate ploy of theirs actually worked out and they didn't have to fight the X-men. The X-men and the Mutant Monitoring Initiative demonstrated that they were still disorganized. It wasn't enough to bring change on a large scale, but it showed there were plenty of unresolved issues. X-Force was making their case and with mutants like Robert Hunter, their resolve grew stronger.

Having shown confidence in his decision, Scott and Logan helped the young mutant off the metal table. He was still sore from the gunshot, but he was eager to begin his second chance.

"You are more brazen zhan you give yourself credit for, Mr. Hunter," said Kurt, "Ve vill help to make sure zhat zhis decision is right for you."

"Thanks," said Robert with a smile, "And please…call me Nitro."

"We'll have to make a _slightly_ less conspicuous name for you to go by," said Warren.

"Can I call myself Steve Starlin? Something about that name just has a nice ring to it."

"Call yourself Michael Jackson for all I care. So long as we can depart for somewhere with less dead bodies," said Emma Frost.

With Nitro having made his decision, X-Force gathered around and prepared for Kurt to teleport them away. As they vanished in a buff of sulfurous smoke, they left Robert Hunter behind along with a messy situation for the X-men to handle.

The stakes were constantly changing. This one incident counted as a minor victory for X-Force, but was sure to escalate tensions. It was only a matter of time before another incident tested their resolve.

* * *

 **Downtown Boston**

' _They all hate me. Every last one of them. I can't believe my parents sent me to this dump. Did they really think they were doing me a favor? Or were they just trying to get rid of me? It's hard enough being a freak. I don't need my own family throwing me away because dealing with a mutant son is too hard for them.'_

Barnell Bohusk hid his bitterness in a stern gaze. That gaze was further shrouded by a thick sweat-jacket and a hood that obscured his face. Walking down the busy streets of Downtown Boston, he had to keep a low profile.

He was a mutant who had the pitiful luck of being disfigured by his mutation. His skin was lightly tanned and his limbs were misshapen, appearing slender and slightly bent. His arms hid a set of bird-like wings. Those attributes were easy to hide, but it was his nose that often stood out. It resembled the beak of a large bird. It was usually the first feature people noticed, so much so that he was often called Beak.

That nickname and the powers that came along with it didn't used to bother him as much. Growing up in a remote farm town in the Ukraine, he didn't have to hide what he was to nearly as many people. His parents and his neighbors knew him and were used to his appearance. It only became a problem when outsiders came in and saw him.

It led to some fairly serious outbursts on his part. They were the kinds of outbursts that got him into trouble with the authorities and kept him from ever leaving him. He couldn't always help himself. He lived such a secluded life and as he got older, it started getting to him and his parents for that matter.

Then the Mutant Monitoring Initiative came along. Suddenly, mutants couldn't hide from the authorities. This didn't bother Beak at first, but his parents took notice. They were the ones that got in touch with the American Embassy. They were the ones that took advantage of the initiative's dump-trouble-mutants-in-the-Academy-of-Tomorrow policy. They told him that it was the only way he could get a good education. Beak was convinced they just didn't know how to deal with him anymore.

He was like so many other mutants whose parents were content to dump their problems on others. Unlike most of those mutants, Beak was going to do something about it.

' _This Mutant Monitoring Imitative is a joke. There's nothing they can teach me at the Academy of Tomorrow that will make my life any less screwed. I see all those other mutants just accepting their fate, believing that this elaborate scheme will make their lives better. Well I'm not that stupid! I want out of this shit! Even if it means making a deal with the devil, I'm going to live my own life!'_

Beak adjusted the hood on his sweat shirt, avoiding eye-contact with some of the people that passed him by. He received a few awkward looks. It wasn't as bad as it could have been. The areas around the Academy of Tomorrow had become accustomed to seeing mutants in their neighborhood. That didn't make their reactions any less annoying. As soon as Beak reached his destination, he slipped into an alley behind a fast food restaurant. He checked his watch, noting that it was almost time.

Once behind the restaurant, he looked around to make sure there were no witnesses. It was a dirty area surrounded by dumpsters so there were few reasons for anyone to come back here. He paced restlessly for a moment, eager to get this over with. He was taking a big chance. If the MSA or the Academy of Tomorrow found out about this, he would be in a world of trouble.

He didn't have time to second guess himself though. After less than a minute of pacing, a purplish portal appeared behind him and two figures emerged. One was Blink, who was the source of the portal. The other was Pietro Maximoff, who was the source of Beak's only opportunity to break free from his current predicament.

"Do you have it?" asked Pietro impatiently, "I've had to jump through _way_ too many hoops to get this shit."

"First of all, good day to you too, Pietro," said Beak dryly, "You and Blink look _cheerful_ today."

"Please don't play coy with him. He's never in the mood," groaned Blink.

"Listen to her, Beak. I offered you sanctuary with the Brotherhood. That is offer is extremely fragile so you better deliver," said the speedster firmly.

"No need to remind me. I know I'm on a short leash," said Beak, "I don't have as much as I hoped, but I have enough for you to analyze."

Rather than test the speedster's patience any further, Beak pulled out a small canister from his pocket. It looked like a vial from a hospital. It contained a bright red liquid that glistened with a distinct hue. He carefully handed it over to Pietro, who scrutinized it closely. As he looked at it, Beak watched his expression tense.

"So this is it. This is that Mutant Growth Hormone we heard about," said Pietro.

"Or MGH for some. The guy I bought it from called it Kick, Special K, and Jesus Juice," said Beak.

"I don't care what it's called. This stuff is a serious problem and a potential solution all rolled into one," he said as he clutched the vial, "Our networks picked up on it about a month ago. Someone sank a lot of resources to develop some sludge that gives humans powers and enhances mutant abilities."

"I don't know how much my contact bought it for, but it's growing quickly. It won't be long before the DEA, the MSA, and the CIA for all I know start calling this the next great scourge," said Beak.

"By then it'll be too late. It always is," said Pietro grimly.

The speedster pocketed the vial and turned towards Blink. She nodded and prepared another portal to take them back to their base in the Savage Land. The Brotherhood and the Genosha refugees had been lying low since the Mutant Monitoring Initiative set in. They couldn't lay low for much longer. They still had goals to carry out and plans to implement. The emergence of MGH completely changed the stakes. As such, they had to make sure it changed in their favor.

"You've almost done your part, Beak. I need at least a dozen more doses and I need them soon," said the speedster.

"A dozen? The rate this stuff is going, that may be a problem," said Beak anxiously.

"So solve it! Do whatever it takes!" said Pietro as he followed Blink into her portal, "Mutants have enough problems between the X-men and this damn initiative Xavier's got going. One way or another, the Brotherhood is going to be the solution."

* * *

 **Up next: Revolting Youth**


	5. Issue 153: Revolting Youth

**Issue #153  
Revolting Youth**

* * *

 _Professor Charles Xavier has watched his X-men become bitterly divided. The ideals of fighting for peace and understanding in a world that hates and fears them has been complicated by the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. Despite his belief that this initiative will help mutants, not everyone in his team shares that sentiment. Now there are the X-men and there is X-Force. They champion the same principles, but are opposed on methods._

 _The core of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative is built around a partnership between the X-men and the authorities. Together, they monitor mutant activity, seek it out when deemed appropriate, and follow strict guidelines towards managing it._

 _At the moment, the most common means of dealing with troubled mutants is to send them to Emma Frost's Academy of Tomorrow. This solves some problems while creating others. Some mutants don't enjoy having little choice in what they do with their powers and their lives. It has led some to take drastic measures._

 _Recently, X-Force successfully deceived the X-men into helping a mutant named Nitro escape the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. Shortly afterwards, another disgruntled mutant named Beak sought to escape with the help of the Brotherhood. He is attempting to do this under the nose of X-Factor, whose efforts have been tempered by the initiative. With so many disgruntled mutants in their school, they seek new ways of making a difference._

* * *

 **Boston – Amtrak Train Station**

The past few days had not been kind to Piotr Rasputin. The X-men and the MSA were still reeling from the incident in Scranton, Pennsylvania. They left the old mining town demoralized and conflicted. It only got worse after word got out that Nitro had died from his wounds.

That mission demonstrated some lingering issues with the X-men. Piotr was among those anxious to improve. He was also anxious for a break so while Professor Xavier and General Grimshaw were hard at work addressing those issues, he sought to unwind.

"Petey! Over here, farm boy!" came a welcome voice.

Piotr smiled as he looked through the crowd of early morning commuters and saw his girlfriend running towards him. Having been on a train since early in the morning, seeing Kitty was a worthwhile sight. He watched as Kitty phased through a few confused passengers to get to him. When she reached him, she jumped up and threw her arms around him in a way that caught even the mighty Colossus off guard.

"You have a lot of nerve, Mr. Rasputin! Taking an early train and having your girlfriend meet you during rush hour," said Kitty in a playful tone.

"No matter what excuse I give, you must really love me to meet me like this," replied Piotr, matching her tone.

"Oh shut up and kiss me! You can make it up to me later tonight."

Not one to argue with an excited Kitty Pryde, the Russian mutant happily obliged. Despite swarms of people getting off the train, they shared a passionate kiss for all to see. Moments like this had become more meaningful since the Mutant Monitoring Initiative was enacted.

With Piotr a mainstay on the X-men and Kitty finishing school at the Academy of Tomorrow, they didn't get to see each other as much as they wanted. They maintained a long-distance relationship, but there was no substitute for these all too rare visits.

After embracing one another thoroughly, Kitty latched onto Piotr's powerful arm and led him out of the station. He didn't have much luggage, carrying only a large backpack. This was because his stay would probably be brief. With so much going on back in Washington, they had to make the most of this time together. That was why she put together an elaborate plan.

"I'm really glad you're here, Petey. I've missed you," said Kitty.

"I've missed you too, Katya," he said, hugging her a bit closer, "As you can imagine, it has not been an easy week. I'm sure you've heard of the Scranton incident."

"Me and everyone else with internet access, but I'd rather not dwell on that. I want this visit to lift your spirits in every possible way!"

"I already feel better just being with you. I am content to go along with whatever romantic activities you have planned. I assume they are world's better than the meetings and training routines that Captain Freeman has the X-men doing."

"I'm glad you feel that way because I do have plans. Some of which cannot be discussed in a crowded train station," said Kitty coyly.

"I'm already looking forward to it."

He spoke in that deep Russian accent that always got Kitty excited. However, she had to contain some of that excitement as they left the main platform. While holding onto her lover's arm, she looked around to make sure there weren't too many people listening. As much as she wanted to have fun with her boyfriend, there was still work to be done.

"Naughty subtext aside, some of those plans will be a little…well, I can't tell you outright. But they are somewhat related to matters beginning with X," said Kitty in a more careful tone.

"What do you mean?" asked Piotr curiously, "I thought the Academy of Tomorrow no longer condoned such activities."

"Officially, they don't. But that doesn't make them less necessary," she retorted, "Some of my fellow classmates have been working on something. It's one of those _somethings_ that may find it's way to the X-men at some point."

"Is it serious?" asked Piotr with more intrigue.

"Not yet, but it could get serious very soon. That's why I need to know if you can mix business with romance for this visit. I know it may conflict with your current position, but I'm hoping we can be _tactful_ about it."

She was asking him to bend the rules a bit. It wouldn't be the first time, but under the provisions of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative it was a lot riskier. As they kept walking, Piotr felt Kitty's grip on him tighten. This was important to her. Given her experience with the X-men, she could assess potential problems better than most. Despite some reservations, the Russian mutant trusted his girlfriend.

"I understand, Katya," he told her in a careful tone, "Please, tell me what are you and your friends at the Academy up to."

"Glad we understand each other, babe," said Kitty with another warm smile, "I'll give you the cliff notes version first. Although I have to warn you…the smaller details are a little tricky."

* * *

 **Academy of Tomorrow - Cafeteria**

The many buildings that made up the Academy of Tomorrow were a lot more crowded in wake of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. The recent influx of mutants forced many areas to expand. When lunch period rolled around, the cafeteria and every area around it bustled with activity. It was the time of day where most of the students congregated in a small area. It was the ideal time for Bobby Drake and the rest of X-Factor to put their plan into action.

Bobby organized an impromptu get-together at one of the tables. Amara joined him along with Roberto, Sam, Noriko, Dani, and Tabitha. They still carried themselves as normal students, eating their lunch like nothing was amiss. Under this veil, they kept a careful watch on their fellow students. The next Scranton incident was probably in their midst. So far, they hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary. However, that could change very quickly.

"You know, I never realized how crazy an all-mutant school could get," commented Noriko, "Just waiting in line with a bunch of irritated, overstressed mutants has convinced me that _someone_ will go nuts at some point."

"That's exactly why we have these little meetings. We're supposed to let each other know when we see the signs," said Bobby as he picked at his burger.

"Explain to me again how reminding ourselves that mutants are miserable is a productive use of our time?" said Tabitha while casually eating a batch of chili fries.

"Come on, Tabby! I thought you were going to take this seriously," said Sam.

"I'm only as serious as I need to be," she retorted, "I get the idea of sniffing out the big mutant screw-up. I just don't get what the hell we're looking for."

She made a valid point even if she had an attitude about it. They hadn't been doing this for very long. There wasn't exactly a test to determine if a mutant was about to make a scene. It was a different challenge for X-Factor and for former X-men as well.

"I'm still working on the Official Handguide for Detecting Mutant Disasters," said Bobby, "For now, sharing information is our best bet."

"Well it's not like there's much to share. The Scranton incident is still a hot topic. Nobody seems inclined to make much of it," Roberto pointed out.

"Give it time. Someone will snap," said a restless Noriko.

"You sound like you're _expecting_ it to happen. Or are you just in a foul mood for getting detention with Dr. Nemesis?" said Dani.

"All points considered, I would rather have ten Scrantons than spend an extra hour with that guy," she muttered.

"Then maybe _you'll_ be the one behind the next incident," teased Tabitha.

"Watch it, Tabby. I'm not in the mood and those piercings in your face _do_ conduct electricity!" quipped Noriko.

"Come on now, girls! Let's not get paranoid here!" said Sam, stepping between them to keep this from escalating.

"Speak for yourself," said Dani as she rolled her eyes, "Doesn't this whole plan of ours require that we be paranoid?"

"Only within reason," said Amara, "We may not see the signs, but I think we can agree that the potential for danger is there. We just need to utilize our resources better."

Bobby and the others gave Noriko and Tabitha a moment to cool off. Even with their collective abilities, they were somewhat powerless in this endeavor. Looking out over the crowded cafeteria, they were trying to weed out that one mutant who was going to make a bad decision.

Some of these mutants had impressive powers. They watched a girl with water-manipulating powers mess up a drinking fountain. They saw an oversized guy with gray skin shove his way through the line at the buffet. There were many ways someone could do damage with their powers. The challenge was in predicting how it would unfold.

"I appreciate your concerns about paranoia, Dani. But we'll have to walk a fine line here," said Bobby.

"It sure would help if one of us was a telepath," argued Roberto, "It would be nice to have a little insight into whose thoughts are more disturbing than others."

"Weren't we supposed to ask the Stepford Cuckoos for help? Last Ah checked, those girls are pretty dang powerful with their minds," said Sam, "Ah still remember the time they paralyzed Julian to win a game of Guitar Hero."

"Such a fond memory," snickered Tabitha, "I still laugh at memories of how pissed he was."

"It's debatable how hard it is to mind-fuck Julian. It's also debatable whether or not we should get the Cuckoos involved. If they start spying on students, that could raise some red flags with Emma," said Bobby.

"Do you think she would make too big a deal about it?" asked Dani.

"Put it another way. Would _you_ be willing to risk the wrath of Emma Frost?" retorted Amara.

Dani and the rest of X-Factor tensed. Even though Emma Frost wasn't a big fan of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, getting her daughters involved would probably not go over well.

"Dude, how can a hot teenage princess make so much sense?" asked Roberto under his breath.

"Maybe she's just smarter than her bra size indicates," quipped Noriko dryly.

Despite their remarks, the discussion continued. Lunch period was almost over and some were starting to file out.

"We should assume that Miss Frost and her entire staff are keeping a close eye student activities. They're not going to rock the boat with the MSA. They'll do just enough to make the academy look safe," reasoned Bobby.

"So if they have so much reason to keep the peace, why are we still concerned?" asked Tabitha as she set aside her lunch.

"Because we're on the front lines and she isn't," Noriko pointed out, "In case you haven't noticed, Miss Frost has been pretty distant lately."

"I think all the teachers have been that way since Warpath left to join X-Force," said Roberto.

"I've noticed that too. I've even heard rumors that Miss Frost may be aiding X-Force. You think there's any truth to that?" wondered Dani.

"That's a debate I'd rather not have. I think it only reinforces the need to look deeper than they're willing to look," said Amara.

"Which leads me back to what I said about utilizing our resources," said Bobby, "Kitty is met up with Peter earlier today. She says she convinced him to offer a little insight into what the X-men are worried about."

"How the heck did she convince him to do that?" wondered Sam.

"She's his girlfriend, Sam. Clearly you don't know the power of a woman's influence," teased Tabitha.

"As Kitty's ex, I can vouch for that," sighed Bobby as he set his lunch aside and got up, "I plan on meeting up with her after class today and seeing what Piotr had to say. Based on her text messages, I think the X-men are aware of more activity than they're letting on."

"Do you know if they suspect this activity is coming from the academy?" asked Dani.

"Even if it was, do you think anyone in the MSA would let us know?" scoffed Noriko, "The old X-men might have dropped us a warning, but _not_ the new X-men."

Bobby hid the sting of those words as he threw his lunch tray away and led the team out of the cafeteria. The distinction between how the X-men once were and what they had become under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative was striking. For him, it was personal.

This new incarnation of X-men didn't feel like the team to which he dedicated so much of his life. He still thought of himself as an X-man. For that reason, he was especially motivated to make a difference again.

"I'll let you guys know if Peter can provide any insight. If something comes up in the meantime, don't be afraid to sound the alarms," said Bobby as the team prepared to return to class.

"Right, because something always has to blow up in our faces at the worst possible time," sighed Tabitha.

"It's really _unsettling_ when I'm not sure if that's sarcasm," said Roberto.

"And if anyone gets a chance, pass the message on to Julian," added Bobby, "He's been more flaky than usual lately so don't be afraid to corner him if you have to."

"He'll be in my biology class later today. I'll be sure to let him know," said Amara as she latched onto Bobby's arm, "But you know Julian. He's easily distracted."

* * *

 **Academy of Tomorrow – Softball Field**

"Laura! Hey Laura, wait up!" said a breathless Julian Keller.

"Turn around, Julian. I can't talk right now," said a stoic Laura as she tried walking faster.

"You've been saying that for months. I promise this is important. It may even be related."

"There are _many_ reasons for me to doubt that," quipped the former living weapon.

"Then what's the harm in hearing me out? At least give me a chance to convince you!"

Former Weapon X-23 rolled her eyes. Julian Keller was an unusual young man. Ever since she joined the Academy of Tomorrow, he took a special interest in her. It wasn't like she hadn't drawn interest from other boys, but his was particularly strong.

He frequently went out of his way to impress her, almost to the point of making a fool of himself. He took it upon himself to help her adjust to life at the Academy. She was still somewhat fuzzy on finer aspects of human interaction, but this boy seemed attracted to her. Unfortunately, she didn't have time to understand such unfamiliar emotions. She had more pressing matters on her mind and since Julian wouldn't drop this issue, she decided to hear him out.

Julian was relieved to see Laura finally stop. He tried catching up with her for lunch. She ended up skipping out as she had been doing quite frequently as of late. Being the mysterious girl she was, Laura always seemed to have her own personal missions. They became more frequent in recent months as the Mutant Monitoring Initiative took hold. Julian suspected they were linked to X-Factor's latest endeavor so it made sense to get her involved.

When he finally reached her, they were standing just outside the fence just outside the third base line of the softball field. At the moment, some of the students were playing a game of softball with Sunfire acting as coach. There was a fair amount of commotion, but it didn't bother Laura. She just stood impatiently with her arms folded, waiting for Julian to explain himself.

"You've got five minutes. Make them count because I'm meeting someone," said Laura firmly.

"What's the rush? You meeting a secret boyfriend or something?" questioned Julian.

"That's none of your business and you would be wise to not make it your business," she said, throwing a subtle threat into her tone.

"So much for lightening the mood. Guess I'll skip right to it," he sighed, "You're still meeting with Wolverine, aren't you?"

Laura's vision narrowed. Julian was more observant than he looked. It was well known that Wolverine visited her regularly before the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. When he left the X-men, those visits became more difficult. Most assumed they weren't happening anymore. Julian knew her better and that presented somewhat of a problem.

"Be very careful of where you're taking this, Julian. You shouldn't be involved," she said in a less hostile tone.

"Well you're involved so it's only logical that I get involved," he reasoned, "Seeing as how you didn't say no, I think I can figure out the answer."

"The answer _is_ no!" she said firmly, "It's the same answer I gave Emma Frost and Charles Xavier."

"Now you're just flat out lying," quipped Julian, "Come on, Laura. You know you're better than that. Stop trying to protect me for a moment and let me put my ass on the line for you. I may be able to help."

The former living weapon remained irritated. Yet she didn't lash out at Julian for thrusting himself into her affairs. He was tough, much more so than most of the other students. He was also somewhat arrogant so Laura had to be careful with how she handled this.

"I'll set the Wolverine issue aside. We can pretend I never brought it up. I'd much rather talk about Xavier's crazy Initiative and the effect we both know it's having," said Julian in a more serious tone, "I think we're in agreement that this thing is causing more trouble than it's preventing. You live here too. You've sensed it, haven't you?"

"I'm fairly adept at detecting when people are agitated," affirmed Laura.

"Then you must know that the influx of mutants we've had over the past few months is a ticking time bomb. For all we know, the fuse has been lit. The incidents in Oakland and Scranton show that some are opposing the initiative. Given all the agitated mutants you just mentioned, odds are the Academy of Tomorrow is an incident waiting to happen."

"Your point is valid. I still don't get how this applies to me."

"Well some of us aren't too keen on the Academy being ground zero for the next mutant fiasco," Julian went on, "That's why Bobby, Kitty, and the rest of X-Factor are putting together their own initiative."

"I thought X-Factor was no longer active," Laura pointed out.

"Officially, it isn't. But if you think a bunch of teenagers are incapable of bending the rules, then maybe I haven't taught you as well as hoped," he said with a touch of humor.

Laura grew more curious. Julian's idea described sounded like it had merit. It was something she wouldn't have expected from a group of teenage mutants that hadn't been trained assassins since they could walk. It actually might relate to what she was investigating after all.

"Okay, I'll admit it. You're bolder than I previously thought," she conceded.

"Good to know that impresses you," said Julian with a smirk.

"I didn't say it impressed me."

"You didn't say it couldn't," he retorted, "That leads me to my main reason for chasing you down. I want you to help us with this."

"Help you how? You think I can sniff out when some random mutant snaps?" said Laura.

"Seeing as how you can smell Bobby's aftershave from a mile away, that's not as impossible as it sounds," he quipped, "You have the sense, the skill, and the know-how to win a fight before and after it begins. That's something X-Factor doesn't have and we sure as hell could use it."

"Didn't we already have this conversation, Julian? I gave you a long list of reasons why I didn't want to be in X-Factor," she reminded.

"That was before the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. The stakes have changed. You sense it. I sense it. The whole damn world senses it! I know you like flying solo and I've respected that. But sooner or later, you have to trust a few wingmen. So why not now when we're just one incident away from another crisis?"

Julian moved in closer to her, much closer than she usually allowed. Aside from Logan, Laura was often inclined at pushing people away. She didn't try to make friends. She didn't let people get involved with her affairs. This boy dared her to open up. He was daring her to trust someone other than Logan. Even for a trained killer, it made her tense in ways she wasn't used to.

"Julian, I don't think…" she began.

"I'd rather you not think," he said, cutting her off before she could go on, "You once told me that you had no control over your life. Everything was decided for you. You were smart enough to know it was bullshit in the long run. That's how I know you're smart enough to know this is right."

"I'm not sure you should have that much confidence in my judgment."

"Then prove it to me. I'm willing to take a few chances if I have to," said Julian boldly, "Let me tell you what X-Factor is up to and you can tell me what you've been up to with you-know-who. At least then we'll know if our goals are related. That way it's not too awkward when our paths cross, not that I mind that either way."

Laura remained tense under Julian's close presence. Even though he was being serious and this was a legitimate issue, there was still a flirtatious undertone to his voice. It was a tone that made Laura feel uncomfortably vulnerable. She couldn't tell if he was trying to get her to go along or if he was being genuine. It put her in a difficult position that required her to rely on emotions she didn't understand.

While she was debating with herself, Laura's train of thought was completely derailed when a strange commotion erupted from the softball field. Two angry figures, Rockslide and Beak, clashed near home plate and more than just words were being exchanged.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT, SANTO? DID YOUR BRAIN JUST TURN TO ROCK OR SOMETHING?!" yelled a very pissed off Beak.

"Cool your jets, Chicken Little! You're lucky your feathers are still intact," retorted Rockslide, who was wearing a catcher's outfit.

"YOU DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE BALL! YOU CAN'T BLOCK MY PATH WHEN I'M ABOUT TO SCORE!" roared Beak, the veins on his face bulging in a way that looked unhealthy even for him.

"It's mutant ball! We're supposed to twist the rules. That's the fun of it."

"TO HELL WITH FUN! YOU JUST THOUGHT YOU COULD GET AWAY WITH IT BECAUSE I'M A FUCKING BIRD AND YOU'RE A WALKING HUNK OF GRANITE!"

"Don't make this personal, Beak. You act like I just spit on your grandmother's grave!" said Rockslide.

"QUIT TALKING DOWN TO ME!" he yelled, "YOU'RE NOT AS TOUGH AS YOU THINK! AND I'M MUCH TOUGHER THAN MY FEATHERS WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE!"

Then to the surprise of Rockslide and every other mutant who had gathered around, Beak slugged the durable mutant with punishing uppercut. What made it even more surprising was how effective it was. Beak was not known for his strength, let alone his toughness. Between his unexpected outburst and the bulging veins in his head, he seemed like a different person than the reserved mutant they knew.

"Whoa! Where the hell did _that_ come from?" exclaimed a mutant girl.

"Are birds supposed to be that strong?" wondered a mutant boy with blueish skin.

"I don't know, but Beak looks pissed among other things!" said an older mutant girl, who was backing away along with a few others.

While Rockslide rubbed his face, Beak continued to fume. The veins in his head and arms throbbed with greater intensity. They throbbed so much that his slender limbs started growing. It didn't look natural. It couldn't just be pure rage. By now, every mutant on the field had gathered around Beak and Rockslide.

"I don't know what's gotten into you, Beak! But I'll be happy to beat it out of you!" seethed Rockslide as he shook off the blow.

"Ungh! My chest! Feels like it's on fire!" groaned Beak.

More onlookers stood back as Rockslide prepared to attack Beak. Before he could, Sunfire ran in from the dugout and got between the two young mutants. He flashed some of his fire powers to move them back a bit further.

"That's enough, you two! Save the poor sportsmanship for Red Sox games," said Sunfire assertively.

"Don't yell at me, teach. He threw the first punch!" barked Rockslide, who was still glaring angrily at Beak.

"Then that will be the _only_ punch. Do I need to explain any further?"

Rockslide grumbled angrily, his jaw still sore from Beak's cheap shot. He reluctantly backed away, preferring not to pick a fight at a time when mutants were scrutinized enough. He let Sunfire deal with Beak, who was still breathing heavily.

Sunfire carefully approached the young mutant, sensing both distress and frustration. Beak was one of the quieter mutants at the Academy. This was the first time he had acted up since he first arrived. He had been teaching long enough to know that such outbursts don't happen randomly.

"Mr. Bohusk, I think we should have a little talk. This is not like you," said Sunfire in a calm yet assertive tone.

"I…I'm fine. I'll apologize to Rockslide later," said Beak while still panting heavily.

"I'm not as concerned with your apology as I am with your health," he said, "I'm tempted to say you look sick, but that peculiar show of strength leaves me confused."

"It's nothing. I've…been working out," he said as he pulled away further.

"Have you now? What type of exercise allows you to strike solid rock in such a damaging way?"

"The kind that ain't your business!" shot Beak, "Quit busting my balls already."

"I'm sorry, but when one of my students starts lashing out at his classmates I'm obligated to be concerned," said Sunfire as he tried to approach the young man again.

"Well that's _your_ problem. Now leave me alone!"

Beak didn't give Sunfire a chance to reach him. Despite his distress, he took unfolded his wings and flew off. He wasn't very graceful about it either. He tumbled through the air a bit, remaining low to the ground as he soared back towards the dormitory buildings. Sunfire could have gone after him, but he chose not to.

Sunfire wasn't the only one watching. As Beak flew off, he passed over Julian and Laura. Having watched this bizarre scene unfold, they shared Sunfire's suspicion. It could be the sign that X-Factor had been looking for. They had an unstable mutant that few would suspect of any trouble. At a time when mutants everywhere felt like targets, it felt like something much bigger was brewing and it didn't take enhanced senses to notice.

"You sense something, don't you?" said Julian, noticing the shift in Laura's demeanor.

"You saw it too, Julian. I trust you're not _that_ blind," said Laura with a snarl.

"Last I checked, my senses were fine. But yours are better. You wouldn't be this pissed if you didn't smell something that stunk."

Laura watched Beak fly clumsily through the air, her vision narrowed on the young mutant. This was something Logan had warned her about. It was manifesting a lot sooner than expected. If it escalated in all the wrong ways, she may not be able to handle it on her own. Perhaps this was as good a time as any to start trusting her fellow classmates.

"Come! We should notify X-Factor," said Laura as she started running back towards the campus.

"Wait up! Does this mean what I think it means?" asked Julian as he tried to keep up.

"You said our problems may be related. Well guess what? They are! And we'll need some extra firepower to solve them."

* * *

 **Academy of Tomorrow – Dormitories**

Being an X-man had changed a great deal in recent times. From heroes to official partners of the MSA, change had been vast and overwhelming. Piotr Rasputin didn't realize just how drastic these changes were until he described them out loud.

His reunion with Kitty had been more eventful than expected. After spending the morning together, they met up with Bobby and Amara while they were in between classes. Once secluded in Kitty's room, he started talking about the ever-sensitive issues of X-men/MSA affairs.

Some of what he described wasn't supposed to leave the Xavier Institute. Yet he found himself going into great detail, listing the major concerns they faced. Along with these details, he listened as Kitty laid out X-Factor's clandestine efforts within the Academy of Tomorrow. The more they talked, the more convinced they were that something sinister was brewing.

"So it sounds to me like the Professor was pretty spooked by the Scranton debacle," said Kitty upon hearing Piotr's insights.

"Spooked may not be the right word. _Frustrated_ sounds more accurate," argued Bobby.

"I suspect it may be both," sighed Piotr, "He was really upset with how the X-men performed. After finding out that poor mutant perished under our watch, he urged us to refocus our efforts."

"Which probably means more training with Captain Freeman," surmised Kitty, "For that, you have my sympathy. That guy is a loose canon, a bad attitude, and piss poor people skills all rolled into one."

"His heart is in the right place. That is something we've all tried to maintain through this initiative, although it's becoming increasingly difficult," said Piotr.

Piotr sounded restless. He still clearly believed in what the X-men were doing, but it was wearing on him in a way he didn't expect. Kitty offered consolation, slipping her arms around his neck from behind while he sat on the side of her bed. He accepted the gesture, lightly grasping her hand with his.

While he took comfort in her presence, Bobby paced back and forth pondering these new details. Amara was sitting on the chair next to Kitty's desk, pondering these issues as well in her own way.

"Difficulty aside, I think we should backtrack for a moment," said Amara, "You mentioned something about the X-men refocusing on the Genosha exiles."

"Da, General Grimshaw thinks it would be best if the X-men focus on larger issues for a while," affirmed Piotr.

"Is that the only reason?" she questioned.

"I doubt it," said the Russian, "I'm not supposed to be telling you this, but Professor Xavier has detected an increase in incursions from Genosha colonies. They're fast, random, and difficult to track."

"So it isn't just mutants jumping ship on the Brotherhood like they were for the first few months," said Bobby.

"It seems that what's left of Genosha has become more organized. Those are General Grimshaw's words, not mine," said Piotr.

"If they're organized and they're making routine trips, they must be up to something," said Kitty strongly.

"Perhaps they're looking for something or even _someone_ ," Amara speculated, "If they've managed to stay hidden, they would need sufficient incentive to venture out regularly."

"Any specifics on where they've been popping up, Peter?" asked Bobby.

"Nyet. That has yet to be determined. Or perhaps the Professor is keeping it from us," said the Russian.

"Why would he keep something this important from you?" asked Amara.

"It's not as outlandish as it sounds. He's done it before," muttered Kitty, "For all we know, he's falling into the trap of every government stooge. He doesn't let people know until it's convenient."

Her cynical words were harsh, as was to be expected from Kitty Pryde. That didn't mean they were wrong. Piotr didn't rush to defend Xavier. Even if he still believed in his vision, he couldn't help but question his shifting motivations.

"Let's try and stay focused here, guys," argued Bobby, "Piotr tells us that the Professor is tracking the Brotherhood. We just told him that X-Factor is keeping tabs on the tensions here at the Academy. So I guess the big question is will one effect the other?"

"I think the question answers itself," said Amara, "We'll be affected in spite of or _because_ of whatever the Brotherhood has planned."

"Is it really that bad here at the Academy?" questioned Piotr.

"Don't be fooled by the cushy life of a heavily regulated private school," said Kitty dryly, "There's a difference between the mutants who are here by choice and those who were just dumped here by the authorities."

"We've seen first hand how this school has become overly crowded, overly scrutinized, and overly tense," said Amara, "It reminds me of an old saying in Nova Roma. If you force too many lions in a cage, sooner or later they'll start mauling one another."

"Except the lions here have mutant powers," said Kitty, "That's why we need to avoid it."

"I agree. And I want to help you avoid it," said Piotr, "I'm just not sure how useful I can be in these matters."

"You've already helped in a big way, Peter. You've given us a potential trigger," said Bobby, who finally stopped pacing, "We all know how talented the Brotherhood are at causing a crisis."

"Do you really think they'll target the Academy of Tomorrow?" asked Amara.

"They'll target any place that has a large collection of disgruntle mutants," he replied, "For all we know, they've already made a move."

"If this is at all possible, then perhaps I should call the institute," said Piotr, "It might be a good idea to watch this area closely."

"Hold your horses, Peter. The X-men are still licking their wounds from Scranton. This is X-Factor's battle. Not theirs," said Kitty, hugging him as if to prevent him from making that fateful call.

"But according to the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, I am obligated to voice these concerns. And I've grown somewhat fond of following the law," he stated.

"We're not saying you shouldn't, Peter. We're just asking that you give us a little _leeway_ ," said Bobby, choosing his words carefully, "Let us prevent a crisis before it starts for once. Let us be X-men again!"

There was desperation in his tone. It was matched by a desperate look in Kitty's eyes. It put Piotr in a difficult position.

Being X-men was still very important for Bobby and Kitty. Being forced to leave and attend school at the Academy of Tomorrow was one of the many controversies incurred by the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. They all agreed to give it a chance. Now his girlfriend and former teammate were asking him to bend the rules so they could make a difference again.

Kitty kept embracing him, as if to urge him into making his decision. Piotr wrestled with this dilemma, considering all the possibilities and pitfalls. While Bobby and Kitty were still waiting for his response, there was a frantic knock on Kitty's bedroom door.

"Hey Kitty! You and your boyfriend better be decent because we have a problem," said Julian's frantic voice.

"Skip the warnings! Time's a factor," said an equally intent Laura.

Ignoring all manners and tact the former living weapon roughly kicked open the bedroom door, breaking the lock and hinges in the process. She then barged in with Julian following close behind, meeting up with a shocked and outraged Kitty Pryde.

"Damn it, guys! It wasn't even locked," she exclaimed.

"I'll fix it for you later. Right now, we need to get moving," said Laura, "Julian has already called the rest of X-Factor. They're going to meet up with us in less than five minutes and you guys need to be there?"

"Why? Please tell me something hasn't blown up yet," said Bobby, ignoring the damage to Kitty's door.

"It hasn't, but it could," said Julian, "We'll fill you guys in along the way, but let's just say dumb luck is working in our favor."

Bobby, Amara, and Kitty exchanged glances. This could be exactly what they were looking for, a mutant incident poised to leave a nasty mark on mutant affairs. Their old X-men mentality soon kicked in and Kitty forgot about the damage to her door as well.

"We can finish this discussion later," she told him, "You may not have to make any tough decisions after all."

"That is a relief," said Piotr, "I have a feeling I would have regretted my decision no matter what I chose."

"That appears to be an ongoing theme with the Mutant Monitoring Initiative," said Amara, "If you're going to help us, it would be best to keep things simple."

"Just wait till you hear what we're up against," said Julian as he led the others out of the room with Laura, "Simple doesn't even _begin_ to describe it."

* * *

 **Academy of Tomorrow - Beak's Room**

' _Gotta hurry! Damn heart won't slow down! You really screwed yourself this time, Barnell. What could possibly lead you to believe that trying this Kick shit was a good idea? I must have gotten a bad batch or something because it feels like my skin is being peeled off. I need to get this shit to Quicksilver before Frost or Sunfire find me!'_

Beak was fighting a losing battle against time and his own body. He tried to pack everything he could as quickly as he could. He had officially overstayed his welcome at the Academy of Tomorrow. He was going to have to drop out sooner than he expected. He would have to rely on Quicksilver and the Brotherhood to bail him out. He had little reason to believe they would do so, but he didn't have a choice. He had to get out of here.

With the veins in his arms and neck still throbbing, he worked feverishly to stuff as much as he could into a lone suitcase. He would have to leave most of his clothes and gear. At this point, it would just slow him down. The most important items at his disposal were eight vials of red fluid. These small containers of Mutant Growth Hormone were his only leverage. There were originally nine vials, but he was foolish enough to use one of them. With every stab of pain through his body, he regretted that decision more and more.

"Augh! Damn you, Quicksilver!" groaned Beak as he felt a painful cramp in his stomach, "This goop better be worth it. I have a feeling I got the watered-down shit."

The pained mutant pushed through the agony as he stuffed the vials into his suitcase. With every passing second, he felt weaker. Having barely made it back to his room, he was in for a rough flight to meet up with Quicksilver. Before he could even close his suitcase, he felt a sharp burning sensation in his veins. It was like his muscles were trying to jump out of his skin. It was so bad he fell to his knees.

"Can't escape like this. I won't outrun a mosquito, let alone the MSA," he groaned.

Beak panted heavily, hoping that the discomfort would pass. As it lingered, time was ticking by. For all he knew, Sunfire had informed Emma Frost and Dr. Nemesis. They in turn would inform the MSA. He couldn't afford to be caught. The only way he stood a chance was if he took another outrageous risk. Looking at the vials of Kick in his suitcase, he could think of only one option.

"Fuck it! Watered down or not, I need a boost," said the ailing mutant.

With shaky hands, Beak retrieved one of the vials. Through labored breaths, he reached for a syringe that he kept under his bed. Without checking the needle or cleaning it, he drew a full dose. He was prepared to inject it, but he hesitated for a moment.

He remembered what this stuff did to him against Rockslide. He originally took a dose just to make sure it was real. It gave him the strength to lay out a mutant that was bigger, stronger, and tougher than he was. He would need that kind of strength to escape.

"Here goes nothing," Beak groaned.

He was about to stick the needle in his arm when he heard an ominous _snikt_ behind his door. The next thing he knew, his bedroom door was sliced open and kicked in. It started him so much that he nearly dropped the needle. As he clutched it firmly, he turned to see a very unnerving sight outside his bedroom.

"See how much time we save when we skip knocking?" growled X-23 as she entered the room.

"Point taken. I'll save it for bathrooms and Emma Frost's office only," said Hellion as he followed her.

"I think we got the message across," said Iceman, his body now covered in an ice shell, "Barnell Bohusk, we need to talk."

"By talk he means drop the needle be smart," said Shadowcat, who wore a new variation of her X-men uniform.

In an instant, the Beak's discomfort was overshadowed by dread. His outburst on the softball field wasn't exactly subtle. In a school with two former X-men, this made him a target in more ways than he expected.

There was nothing subtle about this intrusion. The team arrived in full force. X-23 led Hellion, Iceman, Magma, Shadowcat, and Colossus right to Beak's room. Along the way, they linked up with Sunspot, Cannonball, Surge, Mirage, and Metldown. They were all in their old X-Factor uniforms, including their masks. If this was as volatile as they were led to believe, then they were going to confront it as a team. Such a strong show of force put Beak in an even more desperate position.

"Don't let the costumes fool you, Beak. We're not here to fight," said Cannonball as he emerged from behind.

"Listen to him," urged Iceman, "You'll save us all a world of trouble."

"Trust me, you want that," said X-23 in a threatening tone, "I can already smell what's in that syringe! It's Mutant Growth Hormone, isn't it?"

"How…how do you know about that?" demanded Beak.

"That's for me to know and you to forget," she barked, "Now do your limbs a favor and drop the damn needle!"

Her commands were harsh, more so than X-Factor would have liked. Iceman, Shadowcat, and Colossus couldn't help but cringe. It was exactly the kind of provocation they _didn't_ need.

"It's just like working with Wolverine again," commented Colossus.

"Oye, this won't end well," groaned Shadowcat.

"Ten bucks says he doesn't give up the needle," said Meltdown.

"No deal. I can see where this is going," said Sunspot.

X-23 wasn't about to wait for an answer and Beak wasn't given much time to consider it. As she clenched her fists in anticipation, Beak closed his eyes and jammed the needle into his arm, injecting the drug in the process. As soon as the reddish fluid entered his system, it had an immediate affect.

"Oh no you don't!" growled X-23 as she lunged for Beak.

"No Laura! Don't!" exclaimed Hellion.

There was no stopping her. The former living weapon followed her battle-hardened instincts, lunging towards Beak in an all-out attack. She had every intention of subduing him regardless of the wounds it would incur. However, she wasn't the only one acting on instinct.

Just as X-23's claws were within inches of Beak, he got up and revealed that the extra dose of Kick had a more profound effect. He made this effect painfully appearance as he took a deep breath and let out an ear-splitting screech that was coupled with a concussive wave of force.

"GO AWWWWAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY!" he roared through the sonic assault.

"Arrgghhh!" X-23 cried out as she was blown back by the force.

"My ears!" exclaimed Surge.

" _That's_ a new trick," groaned Mirage.

"Just like old times indeed," groaned Iceman.

The powerful noise was incapacitated X-Factor. They were all forced to cover their ears and fall back. In addition, they had to get out of the way of the concussive blast. Beak's roar was so loud that it blew a ten-foot hole in the wall, breaking lights and shattering his own desk in the process.

Hellion tried to divert some of the shrapnel with telekinesis while catching X-23. This didn't prevent some from incurring some light wounds in addition to the assault on their ears. It was an impressive show of force from a mutant who wasn't known for it.

"Damn! That's more like it," said Beak upon halting his assault, "No way _that_ shit was watered down."

"What? Is he saying something?" exclaimed Cannonball, still rubbing his ears.

"I think he just told us to piss off, but I'm not sure," said Shadowcat, whose ears were bleeding.

Shadowcat, Iceman, and Colossus struggled to reorient themselves along with the rest of X-Factor. Their ears were reeling, but they didn't need to hear in order to understand what was going on. They could see what was happening with Beak.

In addition to a new skill, the drug he just injected was giving him a new appearance. The veins in his neck and arms weren't just throbbing. They were growing. His muscle mass increased three-fold, going from a somewhat scrawny teenager to a heavily muscled young man. In addition to his muscles his skin changed in a profound way, forming a thick layer gray feathers. This layer of feathers extending to his face, making it so he looked like a perfect half-man/half-bird.

The once obscure mutant was seething with a new rush of energy. This change in his body and his powers quickly filled him with a new mentality. He was no longer the feeble freak that his parents threw away. He was his own creature and nobody was going to push him around any more. With X-Factor still dazed, he secured the remaining doses of Kick and closed his suitcase.

"I didn't want to make a scene, but I'm glad you guys made it necessary," Beak taunted, "You have no idea how hard it was to get this shit."

"Whatever you're planning, I'm pretty sure it's a mistake," said Iceman.

"Says you!" scoffed Beak, "This stupid initiative gives you guys plenty to look forward to. But for guys like me, I got nothing! I don't give a damn if it is breaking the law. I'm making my own law from here on out!"

"That's the drug talking, Barnell. This isn't you," said Magma as Iceman helped her back to her feet.

"Well it is now! And I'm taking the new me for a spin," he retorted, "If you want to avoid that world of trouble you mentioned, you _won't_ follow me."

"Beak wait!" urged Cannonball.

It was no use. The young mutant was beyond reason at this point. Upon grabbing his suitcase, Beak turned around and unleashed another sonic yell. This blew a gaping hole through the wall and windows right next to his bed, leaving a nice opening for him to escape to the open skies. Armed with his new strength and powers, he took to the air at high speeds with the intention of never looking back.

He left behind a dazed X-Factor, who had to recover quickly if they were to have any hopes of keeping up. Their ears were still ringing, but nobody was seriously wounded. Canonball and Magma helped Meltdown, Surge, and Sunspot back to their feet. They caught up with Iceman, Shadowcat, Colossus, and Magma as they gathered around the newly created hole in the wall. Hellion and X-23 were a little slower to catch up. Having taken the brunt end of Beak's attack, X-23 needed a moment to heal.

"Quit trying to assist me, Julian. I can heal," grunted the former living weapon.

"If my ears weren't still ringing, I would point out that healing isn't your biggest problem," he said, "You know I am telekinetic. I could have ripped the needle out of his hand."

"But you _didn't_ ," she quipped.

"That's because you _provoked_ him," said Sunspot, "I say you do need assistance in some respects."

"What's that _supposed_ to mean?" snarled X-23.

Former Weapon X-23 flashed her claws towards Sunspot and Hellion. They were looking at her as if she was responsible for this. She prepared to confront them, but Colossus pulled her back.

"That's enough," said the Russian, "I know you're staying true to your heritage with Wolverine, but even he understood when he made a mistake."

"Don't tell me you're taking their side!" spat X-23 as she shook off his grip.

"We don't have time to take sides. We need to go after Beak!" said Iceman as he looked out into the midday sky.

"He's moving pretty fast. You think we can catch up him?" asked Surge.

"Well not all of us can fly so we'll have to get creative," said Mirage.

"We have three X-men, X-Factor, and Wolverine's daughter. I think we have plenty to work with," said Iceman confidently.

This wasn't over yet. Beak thought he had escaped, but they had everything they needed to prove him wrong. This desperate mutant was more than capable of causing another dangerous incident. That mysterious drug he injected had plenty of potential to do great harm. It also had the potential to uncover a much deeper conflict.

* * *

 **Meanwhile – Massachusetts Turnpike**

Traveling had become a lot more complicated for X-Force. While Kurt could teleport them anywhere in the world, they couldn't always appear at the exact location they wanted. Now that the authorities were keeping an eye out for them, they needed to keep a lower profile. Randomly appearing in crowded areas tended to draw undue attention so sometimes they had to employ traditional means of transportation.

This didn't bother Logan. He was more than willing to take the longer route to his destination if it meant he could ride his motorcycle. Since he joined X-Force, he hadn't had a chance to do much riding. So when Kurt offered to drop him off in Boston for his regular visit with Laura, he had him arrive at a special storage depot where he kept his motorcycle.

From there, he weaved through the midday traffic en route to the Academy of Tomorrow. Meeting up with Laura was still important to him. She needed him and he needed her. But now that they were semi-fugitives, some were concerned about the trouble this could cause. As usual, Cyclops saw fit to be a dick about it.

" _I can appreciate your desire to see your clone/daughter, but I really think we should've talked about this beforehand,"_ said Cyclops through an encrypted communication link that Wolverine had built into his helmet.

"She's my _daughter_ , bub. Don't call her a freakin' clone!" he barked as he picked up speed along the turnpike.

" _Duly noted, but we need to weight the risks here. These aren't just fishing trips. You've been talking to Laura about our operations, haven't you?"_

"Well what else are we gonna talk about? Boy bands and hair conditioner?" retorted Logan.

" _I'm just saying that you're putting her and X-Force at risk. The dust hasn't settled from Scranton yet. The X-men and the MSA have been getting more aggressive. Emma has already picked up on increased activity from the Brotherhood."_

"The way I see it, we're better off if someone as tough as Laura knows what to stab if she sees it. Since she's in a school where so many mutants are getting dumped, I'd say she's in just the right position."

" _Be that as it may, you shouldn't have told her about those rumors of mutant-enhancing drugs. If Laura is even a tenth as impulsive as you, she could put herself in a dangerous situation and I know you don't want that."_

Logan growled in frustration, angrily passing a nearby car at over ninety miles-per-hour in the process. Scott Summers was an especially annoying when he made a valid point.

Part of his reason for sending Laura to the Academy of Tomorrow was so she would have a chance to get away from all the fighting. She deserved to be a normal kid or as least as normal as a clone of his could be. By meeting with her and filling her in on what X-Force was up to, he did put her at risk. It left him wondering if she deserved to be dragged into his problems again.

He was prepared to argue with Cyclops for the rest of the ride in if he had to. Then as he was passing over a bridge, he noticed a strange series of lights in the distance over Fenway Park. They weren't the kind of lights that indicated something explosive like they experienced in Scranton, but it had the mark of mutant activity. If that was the case, then there was a good chance that Laura would be involved.

"Ah hell, so much for a quiet afternoon with my daughter," groaned Logan as he revved his motorcycle in preparation for a much rougher ride.

" _What was that? Damn it, did he hang up on me again? I swear I'll…"_

"I'm still listening, Cyke. You better watch what you say behind my back or I'll have another reason to stab it!" barked the former living weapon, "While you're at it, pull Frost away from the vineyards and have her check Fenway Park. Something's goin' down and it ain't a freakin' ball game!"

* * *

 **Boston – Fenway Park**

Beak was thoroughly enjoying the power boost he got from Kick. He was stronger, faster, and more focused than he had ever been. No longer an isolated freak, he felt like he could do anything. The double dose of Kick in his system had his heart and his mind racing in ways he had never experienced.

' _Never flown this fast before. Never felt this strong before. I could fly down and rip up every building in this city with my bear hands. Fuck, I love this drug! Will have to save some for myself later. For now, gotta stay focused. Gotta get to Quicksilver so he can get me out of here.'_

Beak was soaring over Boston, watching the buildings pass by in a blur. He would have to land at some point, make a call to Quicksilver, and arrange a transport. With so much Kick in his system, no one could stand in his way. He was just passing over Fenway Park, which was vacant at the moment. He was right over center field when something strange came over him.

Out of nowhere, the open sky in front of him turned into a massive brick wall. Above him, black clouds descended out of nowhere and started flashing with lightning. All around him, more walls formed. His entire sense of direction was completely thrown off. He had to stop in mid air and fly down to the surface.

"Augh! What the hell? This better not be some fucked up side-effect of the drug!" exclaimed Beak.

"It's not, but you're going to wish it was," came a voice.

As Beak landed in center field, a figure emerged from the massive brick wall in front of him. It was Mirage. Her eyes were glowing, indicating that she was using her powers. It would explain this bizarre change in scenery.

" _You_ again? Guess that means this is an illusion," scoffed Beak, "You know, I can fly right through this shit."

"My illusions aren't just smoke and mirrors, Beak. And even if they were, how would you know which direction to go?" she told him, "I could make it so you fly head first into building."

"That's assuming I won't sniff you out and beat you to a pulp first."

"That's even less likely," she retorted.

"How do you figure?"

"Because you're going to have your hands full," said Mirage with a coy grin as she gestured to the sky behind him.

Beak turned around and saw what she was referring to. From the stormy illusions, he saw X-Factor descend towards him. Iceman, Magma, Cannonball, Surge, Meltdown, Sunspot, and X-23 were all riding a telekinetic bubble from Hellion. They came in at high speeds, breaking off so that they completely surrounded him. They each took an aggressive stance. Beak clenched his talons, the Kick in his system flowing with greater ferocity.

"You're not going to ditch us _that_ easily, Beak," said Iceman, "X-Factor has a strict 'no coward way out' policy!"

"Mirage can make it even more unpleasant if you don't cooperate," said Cannonball, "So do yourself a favor and stand down!"

"Stand down? After a power upgrade and plenty of leverage?" scoffed Beak as he held up his suitcase, "You guys must be confusing me with the old Barnell Bohusk!"

"You _are_ Barnell Bohusk," said Amara, "That's the drug talking! Not you!"

" _Please_ don't turn this into a drugs-are-bad announcement. Don't we get that enough in school?" said Meltdown.

"You're not going to talk me out of this," he exclaimed, "I've made my decision. There's no going back!"

"Guess that means we're doing this the hard way," sighed Surge.

"Fine by me!" growled X-23, "HRRRAAAHHHHH!"

The former living weapon made the first move, drawing her claws and lunging towards Beak. The feathered mutant avoided it by taking to the air, flying just above X-23's claw slashes and not losing any feathers in the process.

"Errrrr! Get back down here!" roared X-23.

"Sorry, but if we're going to do this, we're doing it in my domain," said Beak, "Illusion or not, I've got the advantage in the air!"

X-23 snarled in frustration. Beak sneered as he tried to fly higher. He was only about twenty feet in the air when he hit what felt like a slab of bedrock.

"What is this? Another illusion?" groaned Beak.

"Nope! Just good old fashioned telekinesis," said Hellion, having formed a powerful barrier right above him, "Let's keep a level playing field, shall we?"

"Besides, you ain't the only one with wings," said Cannonball from below.

"And we don't even need feathers," said Iceman.

While Hellion kept Beak from flying higher, Cannonball took off in a high-speed blast with Iceman following closely on an ice slide. Beak went on the evasive, flying lower towards the third-base line to avoid the attack.

Cannonball ended up soaring above him, leaving Iceman to come in lower and fire ice beams towards him. These beams were complimented with electric blasts from Surge, fire blasts from Magma, and solar blasts from Sunspot from below. Beak was under fire, but remained undaunted. Still clutching the suitcase, he flew in lower to the ground and prepared to counter.

"You guys want to corner me? Be my guest!" taunted Beak, "Your ears will hate you."

Once he was on the ground, he took a deep breath and unleashed another powerful sonic screech. This time, X-Factor wasn't caught off guard. X-23, Surge, Meltdown, Magma, and Sunspot avoidedit. Iceman and Cannonball also went on the evasive, moving in higher so they could come in for another attack.

"That trick ain't gonna work this time," said Cannonball.

"Yeah! That isn't even the loudest Fenway's ever been," taunted Iceman.

"Then I guess I'll have to try a new trick," grinned Beak.

As the two mutants came in for an attack, Beak allowed the Kick in his system to work. Flexing his wings, he began spinning at high speeds. Within seconds, a powerful tornado was formed. A cloud of dirt from the baseball field was kicked up, creating a choking dust storm that overwhelmed Iceman and Cannonball. It also engulfed Hellion, who was able to divert it but couldn't see through it.

"Ack! I liked the yelling more," groaned Iceman.

"Can't see where Ah'm…" began Cannonball.

The young mutant was unable to finish. Due to his high speeds, Cannonball couldn't change directions when he saw the wall along the third baseline in front of him. He pulled up just in time to crash into a series of seats. His blasting protected him, but he tumbled through at high speeds and had the wind knocked out of him to ensure he couldn't take to the air again. Iceman fell right off his ice slide, tumbling right onto the grassy field. He couldn't see through the dust to locate Beak. He had to cover his face to prevent from breathing in the dirt.

"Now that's just fighting dirty…literally," grunted Iceman.

"When you're low on options it's the _only_ way to fight," yelled Beak from within the dust cloud.

Iceman coughed through the swirling dirt while Hellion struggled to navigate through it from above. X-23, Surge, Magma, Sunspot, and Meltdown all rushed towards Iceman. They had to cover their mouths and guard their faces as well. Beak was trying to choke them out and they couldn't let him.

"He's more resourceful than we thought," said Sunspot as he helped Iceman fall back.

"So is that drug," grunted Iceman, "That _can't_ be healthy for him."

"Neither are these," grinned Meltdown as she formed dozens of small bombs in her hand, "Stand back, guys!"

"Fire in the hole, Hellion!" announced Surge.

"I hear you, Surge," said Hellion from above.

Braving the blinding dust clouds, Meltdown threw the tiny balls of energy into the swirling storm. They were quickly sucked up into the blast. As they got closer to Beak, they started going off in rapid succession. It was like showers of firecrackers were going off around him. Hellion used his telekinesis to protect X-Factor from the bursts, but Beak had no such protection.

"Ouch! Ow! Arrghh!" he exclaimed from within the dust storm.

As the mini-bombs kept going off, Beak had to slow down his wind storm. The dust from the baseball field was still thick, but the winds died down and he had to stumble away in order to escape the painful bursts. Still clutching his suitcase, X-Factor saw their chance to launch their final attack.

"Hurry! Take him down before he pulls another trick!" roared X-23.

"I _was_ going to only lightly shock him, but I've changed my mind," said Surge with sparks forming around her body.

"With that drug in his system, we'll need more than a few jolts to knock some sense into him," said Sunspot.

While Beak was still stumbling, X-Factor surrounded him. Magma, Meltdown, X-23, Sunspot, and Surge got into position. Iceman stayed behind, still coughing up dirt. Hellion kept a telekinetic ceiling over the area, making sure that Beak couldn't escape. Magma also made sure he couldn't use the whirlwind trick again. Using her fire powers, she formed a hot ring of fire around him to help add to his anxiety.

"I would advise against generating too much wind. Feathers aren't flame proof last I checked," warned Magma.

"They're not bomb proof either," said Meltdown as she rushed in for another attack.

Forming a series of much larger bombs in her hands, Meltdown threw a half-dozen or so bombs right towards Beak. This time he was ready for them. Using his wings, he kicked up a powerful wind sheer and blew them right back towards her and Magma.

"You might want to rethink that," grunted Beak.

"Whoa! I stand corrected," exclaimed, Meltdown as she and Magma fell back.

Beak barely had a chance to catch his breath. As the flames swirled around him, Sunspot and X-23 emerged through them. They both moved in for a quick attack. Sunspot fired a solar blast towards Beak, which he was able to avoid by jumping out of the way. However, he was unable to avoid X-23's claw slashes. She landed a good cut right on his lower leg. It went in pretty deep, resulting in a wound that spewed blood.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" he screeched in a mix of pain and anger.

"Sounds like it's getting to you," taunted X-23, "I can hear it in your voice."

"LEAVE…ME…ALONE!" Beak screamed.

"Whoa! Sounds like he's losing it," said Sunspot.

"All the more reason to shut him up," said Surge.

Surge clenched her fists and fired a burst of concentrated sparks. Despite his wound, Beak went on the evasive. He was grazed by a few sparks, but didn't slow down. Sunspot moved in and landed a punishing solar powered uppercut while X-23 came in for another slash.

This only stunned Beak for a moment before he responded with a talon swipe. Sunspot avoided it, but X-23 did not. She ended up getting cut deeply right across the back. This stunned her, but only for a split second. She and Sunspot had to keep up the attack. Beak was getting desperate and the Kick in his system wasn't helping.

They could see it in his eyes. The veins in his neck and arms were throbbing with more intensity. It looked like his system was being overwhelmed. He was becoming irrational, enraged, and unfocused. X-23 had experienced such a state before and used it to her advantage, maneuvering closer and slicing another couple of gashes along Beak's leg and torso. That only enraged him even more. At one point, he threw his suitcase at X-23, hitting right over the head with it and cracking her skull in the process. When Sunspot saw this he tried to strike him again.

"ERRRRRRRRRR!" was all Beak could get out at this point.

"You need to calm the fuck down _amigo_ ," yelled Sunspot as he charged his arms for another solar powered punch.

This time, Beak was ready for him. As he swiped in for an attack, Beak caught his arm with both talons. Sunspot instinctively began to struggle. Then Surge moved in closer for another attack.

"Hold on, Sunspot. I've got this!" said Surge.

"No wait!" he exclaimed.

Without heeding his warning, Surge unleashed another devastating electrical attack. Before it struck, Beak turned around and used Sunspot as a human shield. He ended up taking the full force of the attack. Even though his solar powers ensured it wouldn't be lethal, it was pretty devastating.

"AUUUGGHHHHH!" Sunspot cried out.

"Oops," said Surge sheepishly.

Sunspot lost most of his solar charge and he fell weekly to the dirt. He had light burns on his skin and was barely conscious, ensuring he would stay out of this fight. Beak now set his enraged sights on Surge, who was more reluctant to strike back after what happened to Sunspot. Beak, despite his wounds, looked at her with enraged eyes.

"The power…it burns! Now you'll all…burn with me!" he roared.

"Uh…is that supposed to mean something?" said Surge.

"It does," said X-23 as she emerged behind him, "It means this ends _now_."

Before Beak could attack surge, X-23 pounced on him from behind. She leapt onto his back and drove her claws right into the areas around his shoulder and neck. Once she had a firm grip on his body, she went to work cutting into his bird-like flesh. Beak let out a pained screech and stumbled back, but she didn't let go. She just kept attacking, wounding him further. From a distance, it looked like she would kill him.

"Laura, what are you doing? You're killing him!" exclaimed Hellion from above.

"I know what I'm doing. Trust me," she replied as she cut him again.

"But…"

"Listen to her, Hellion! I think I know what her plan is," said Magma, who ran with Meltdown to Sunspot's aid.

Hellion was still hesitant, but he decided to trust X-23. He had to believe that she had learned enough from him and the others to understand what she was doing. Whatever it was, it had better work.

With the rest of X-Factor watching, X-23 kept stabbing Beak with her claws. She didn't go for vital organs or anything. She made sure she cut him at very specific locations. She cut him around the neck and arms, severing arteries and causing thick gushes of blood to pour out. It got so messy that both Beak and X-23 were covered with bloody streaks, their respective growls echoing with a primal rage.

"Hrrrrrrr! Must…get…more. Kick…the power…need it," seethed Beak, becoming more incoherent by the second.

"No…you don't," snarled X-23, "Nobody needs or deserves that kind of power."

She spoke from painful experience, growling with intense focus as she cut Beak around the neck one last time. By now, he had lost so much blood that it was pooling up around him. His legs shook and he started losing balance.

At the same time, his hulking figure began to shrink steadily. In addition, the excess feathers he gained fell off. He was returning to normal. The Kick was wearing off. It didn't take long for some to realize what X-23 had done.

"Clever girl," said Iceman as he met up with Sunspot and Surge.

"Clever or just messy?" questioned Surge.

"She bled him out to get the Kick out of his system," explained Magma, "If it's not in his veins, it can't have an effect."

"You sure she's not going to kill him?" wondered Meltdown.

"She won't," said Hellion confidently as he landed next to them.

"You sure about that? Or are you just that eager to get into her pants?" teased Meltdown.

"I'm sure," said Hellion flatly.

Hellion and the others watched as X-23 finished the job. She was as careful as she was efficient, making sure that once Beak reverted back to his old self that he was carefully laid out onto the grass. He was barely conscious now after having lost so much blood. She was still covered in it and short on breath. At one point she looked back up at Hellion and the rest of X-Factor. They gave her a look of approval.

It was different from the approval she got from her creators she subdued a foe. It left her feeling strange inside, but in a good way. She hid those conflicted feelings within her stoic demeanor. The mission wasn't over yet. Only the hard part was complete.

"I think we're done with this illusion," said Mirage from behind the others, "And just in time as well. The cavalry just arrived."

Within moments, the stormy skies and large brick walls faded. The midday sun and the now scarred field of Fenway Park returned. In addition, the large gate near center field opened to reveal a line of emergency vehicles. They included two MSA vans, a fire truck, and an ambulance. Riding in front of the fire truck were Colossus and Shadowcat. They got off before the MSA and EMTs could even get out of their vehicles. With dirt still lingering in the air from Beak's dust storm, it was clear there had been quite a battle.

"Look who showed up after the seventh inning stretch," commented Iceman.

"We still showed up, did we not?" said Colossus as he and Shadowcat ran over, "I made a few calls to the Institute and we were able to coordinate a swift response."

"To bad it wasn't swift enough," said Meltdown, "You missed all the action."

"There will be others. There always are," sighed Shadowcat as she met up with the others, picking up Beak's suitcase along the way, "In the meantime, I think we've succeeded in our little mission while starting a new one. I think Professor Xavier will be _very_ interested in learning more about this Kick stuff that Beak was so eager to steal."

* * *

 **Later**

The end of every mission was always a spectacle. The Mutant Monitoring Initiative ensured that very public conflicts were carefully managed. In this sense X-Factor was lucky to have the initiative on their side.

Thanks to Piotr coordinating with the MSA, they were able to clean up Beak's mess. The wounded mutant was taken in and treated for blood loss by EMTs. Roberto, Amara, Sam, and Tabitha received treatment for some minor injuries as well. All the while, the area around Fenway Park was closed off so they had time to process everything.

Piotr, Kitty, Bobby, and Amara worked closely with the MSA agents as they took Beak into custody. At the moment, he was receiving medical treatment. It looked as though he would heal from his wounds. Laura's attacks were purely superficial. The MSA operatives stayed on their guard, making sure Beak had no means of escape. After having pieced together his plot, this unfortunate mutant had a lot to answer for.

"Load him up! Be careful with the IVs," ordered the lead EMT as Piotr moved the gurney carrying Beak into the back of a van.

"According to HQ, we're to have three operatives around this kid at all times," said one of the MSA officers.

"That shouldn't be necessary," said Piotr, "The drug is out of his system."

"It isn't just him we're worried about," said another officer, "You heard the report from Xavier and Emma Frost. This kid was coordinating with the Brotherhood. Who knows what kind of crap they're cooking up?"

"I'm just as eager to find out, but try and go easy on him," said Bobby, "Beak isn't the bad guy. He just trusted the wrong people for the right reasons."

"I don't know if General Grimshaw will see it that way so I can't make any promises," said the driver of the van.

Bobby, Kitty, and Amara shifted somewhat as they watched the officers close the back of the van. One of the other officers in front of them signaled them to drive off along with a police escort. On the surface, this mission was successful. They stopped Beak from meeting up with the Brotherhood. However, there were some reservations.

Beak wanted to leave for a reason and it wasn't a bad reason either. He didn't like the Academy of Tomorrow. He didn't like being thrown away by his family and left to do whatever the Mutant Monitoring Initiative dictated. On some level, they couldn't blame him for trusting the Brotherhood.

"I will see to it that those promises are made," assured Piotr, sensing his friends' reservations, "I agree with you. Desperation brings out the worst in people. I would know."

"So would I," sighed Amara, remembering the many questionable actions of her own people, "That still doesn't justify his actions."

"That's not what worries me," said Kitty distantly.

"You think the Brotherhood is going to dump a fresh batch of napalm on the fire too?" said Bobby.

"That's a given," she said, rolling her eyes, "I'm not convinced that Grimshaw, the Professor, and everyone else in the MSA won't make it worse. Beak had enough reasons to mess up his life. If we keep giving people like him more, then what's the point of doing what we do?"

"The Professor won't allow it to get that bad, Katya. He's too smart a man to allow it," said Piotr as he slipped his powerful arm around his girlfriend.

"If he doesn't, would you please hit him upside the head to knock some sense into him?" asked Kitty in only a partially serious tone.

"I think he has sufficient incentives to do the right thing," said Piotr in a humored tone, "The X-men have made sure of it."

"One more couldn't hurt," said Amara as she slipped her arms around Bobby, "In my experience, people in power need the most reminders about what is just."

"You think we gave a big enough reminder today?" said Bobby, smiling at her touch.

"I think it's a start," said Amara, smiling back.

Mixed feelings continued to linger as Beak rode off with the MSA. However, the positives substantially outweighed the negatives.

Bobby and Kitty got to be X-men again. X-Factor got to be heroes again. By working together, they exposed a new threat. Mutant Growth Hormone and the Brotherhood were dangerous enough on their own. If there was a connection, then the problems for Professor Xavier and the X-men extend far beyond the walls of the Academy.

These mixed feelings were shared by the rest of X-Factor, who lingered behind with the EMTs and officers. The MSA had collected their statements and agreed to be careful with the details. Under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, they were technically forbidden from doing this sort of thing. Due to the circumstances of the conflict, they were willing to make an exception.

"We got to be heroes again," mused Dani, "I forgot how great it feels."

"Speak for yourself. You're not the one that got burned," muttered Robert, winching as an EMT treated him for electrical burns.

"Hey, I said I was sorry," groaned Surge, "Besides, the doctor said it was nothing serious."

"It still stings like hell. Every time I put peroxide on these burns, you owe me a lunch."

"Now you're just being unfair," said Noriko.

"Come on, Sunshine. Ah got a minor concussion and Ah'm still willing to forgive," said Sam, who had an ice pack on his head.

"Besides, you don't want to punish her by making her go out with you. That would just be _cruel_ ," teased Tabitha.

"Says the girl who leaves cherry bombs in my dresser whenever I drink one of her sodas," grumbled Roberto.

"Quit being so petty, you guys," said Dani as she stepped between Roberto and Sam, "Wounds will heal. Grudges will fade. We did something special today…something we all missed doing and could have easily paid dearly for. We proved today that X-Factor doesn't have to end. We're in a position to make a difference. We should embrace that because after what we learned today, we know there's more than the Mutant Monitoring Initiative can handle."

The mood amongst the team grew more serious. Injuries and soreness faded as their recent exploits were put into perspective. It was easy to forget how much they missed X-Factor once it was taken away from them. They rediscovered how much the world needed it. The X-men and the MSA were not powerful enough to confront every threat. There was still a place for X-Factor and they had a responsibility to keep fighting.

While X-Factor's spirits were heightened, some remained conflicted. X-23 didn't say much to anybody after the battle ended. She kept her distance from the authorities, which was understandable given her history. For her, being part of X-Factor and playing hero was secondary. She had her own missions. Given how poorly she handled herself, she realized just how far she had to go.

' _They all cope so well. They weren't even trained and they can still smile after a mission like this. I don't know what they're feeling, but I think I understand it better. Maybe one day I can learn to smile as well. At the rate I'm going, it might be a while."_

Former Weapon X-23 slipped away from X-Factor and the rest of the authorities, retreating to one of the dugouts. She made sure no one was following her. She was still in a mission-centered mentality. She never lost focus as she carefully opened the door that lead into the locker room. It revealed Logan standing on the other side, who was wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses.

"Hey, darlin'. Sorry I'm late," he told her.

"Don't be," said Laura solemnly, "I would have…disappointed you. I came way too close to slipping back into old habits."

"But you didn't," Logan said, "Otherwise, you would be covered in a _lot_ more blood."

"I made everything much harder. I attacked without thinking. I almost killed that poor boy. I didn't even feel anything when I made him bleed. I find that…troubling."

"That's gonna take a while to wear off. Hell, I'm still struggling with it so don't beat yourself up," he said as he affectionately cupped her chin, "You did good, Laura. Now I can tell Cyke he was wrong for busting my balls. He was against me telling you about that Kick shit."

"I know how much you enjoy saying I told you so. Give him this and I'm sure it'll be more satisfying."

Reaching into her pocket, Laura pulled out one of the vials of Kick. She stole it from Beak's suitcase, which had since been confiscated by the MSA. It was the original reason why she hoped to meet up with Logan today. They were going to work on a way to retrieve a sample. In the end, they got what they needed, thanks to the inadvertent help of X-Factor.

When Logan took the vial, he held it up and stared at it. This exotic substance was the key to X-Force's next round of operations. The X-men would more than likely feel the same way. After seeing what it did to Beak, it was sure to cause plenty of trouble.

"This shit's gonna bring plenty of headaches. I can smell it," snarled Logan.

"I never found out where Beak bought it, but the Brotherhood was interested in it. They'll probably keep looking for a source," surmised Laura.

"So will we," said Logan as he clutched the vial.

"And I'll continue to help," said Laura strongly, "Tell me my next mission. Where do we go from here?"

Logan looked back at Laura and then back at the vial. He was silent for a moment. Laura was still in that intense mission mindset. Everything was either a mission or pure survival. There was nothing in between. It robbed her of a childhood and the scars were deep. That didn't mean she had to make them deeper. Upon pocketing the vial, he gave her a new task.

"Go back to your friends," he told her, "Go to class, take time for yourself, and be a kid."

Laura was surprised and confused. She looked at him strangely as he turned around and walked away.

"What kind of mission is that? I can still help, Logan!" she said strongly.

"I know you can. That doesn't mean you _should_ ," he retorted, "Trust me, Laura. You need this. If you're dead set on avoiding past mistakes, you'll give it a shot. You'll understand why the next time you're in a tough fight."

Laura was inclined to run after the only family she had in this world. She was prepared to fight him for another mission. It didn't make sense. This was all she knew. If she didn't have a mission to focus on, what would stop her from questioning her place again?

She continued to debate going after Logan. Then she detected a familiar scent behind her. Someone had been listening in. Instinctively, she turned around and flashed a claw. She was met with the presence of a calm Julian Keller. At first she was suspicious. Then as she took in his demeanor, she settled.

"How long have you been standing there?" she demanded.

"I've been keeping my eye on you since you stormed off covered in blood," he told her, "Kind of hard not to look away from that."

"How much did you hear?"

"Absolutely nothing," said Julian with a wry grin, "That's exactly what I'll tell everyone, no matter how much they torture me."

Laura was taken aback once again. This boy intrigued her more with everything he did. He clearly saw her meeting with Logan. He probably saw her steal that one vial of kick. But as far as she could tell, he was serious. He wasn't going to tell anyone. He cared about her that much and it left her deeply confused.

Logan was long gone by now. Laura continued to linger so Julian approached her and offered a friendly smile. It was difficult for her to return the gesture, but he didn't need her to. Just allowing him to be this close to her spoke volumes.

"Why do you do this, Julian? Why do you care about me?" asked Laura intently.

"Because…" he said as he slipped his arm around her waist, "You're worth it, Laura. Even if it means repeated stab wounds, I'm willing to prove it to you."

* * *

 **SWORD Labs**

Hank McCoy had been staring at his computer screen for the last four hours. That was _after_ he stared at it for a good eight hours or so before the news from Boston filtered in. Sleep, rest, and everything associated with such activities had been expunged from his mentality. After the incident in Scranton, he refocused his efforts with a new vigor. He would not allow past failures hurt the X-men or Professor Xavier's initiative any further.

As soon as the samples of Kick were secured, they were flown discretely to SWORD for analysis. Hank was among the first to study it. Rumors of a drug that could enhance mutant abilities had been circulating lately. That was in addition to the Brotherhood's increased activity. The MSA were instructed not to mention Kick in their public report about the incident in Boston. If these preliminary scans were any indications, the world would come to know this drug soon enough.

"What are we looking at, McCoy? Feel free to be as paranoid as you want," said an impatient Abigail Brand, who was looking over Hank's shoulder.

"I rarely jump to conclusions, Agent Brand. However, I will say _copious_ paranoia would be justified for a substance such as this," said Hank.

"Copious entailing…" said Agent Brand, urging Hank to elaborate.

"It does exactly what we thought. It enhances mutant abilities. Moreover, mix of light mutagens, artificial proteins, and a retro-viral interface has the potential to manifest secondary or even tertiary mutations that would not have otherwise emerged."

"I'm sorry. You must be mistaking me for someone who misplaced her PHD in biology," said Agent Brand dryly.

"Simply put, it allows additional mutant abilities to manifest. Couple this with the amphetamines that send the user into an _empowered_ state of mind, it is not difficult to imagine the kind of horrors it could incur."

Agent Brand's gaze narrowed on Hank's computer screen. She was no expert in mutation, but she understood the danger such a drug could pose.

Beak wasn't the only mutant not satisfied with the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. There were plenty of mutants out there with sufficient reason to find a drug like this. On top of that, the Brotherhood would be a greater threat than it already was with this power at their disposal.

"I've got a pretty twisted imagination so I won't begin to speculate," said Agent Brand, "I also imagine that something like this can't be cooked up in someone's basement."

"You would be correct," affirmed Hank, "This complex mix of biological material cannot be synthesized easily. Whoever concocted it had to have obscene resources in addition to a blatant disregard for global security."

"That's still a pretty long list. Longer than anything the President would be comfortable with," she said, "Any clue on who decided to channel their inner Pablo Escobar?"

"Not at the moment, but I have a few hunches."

"Well follow up on them and don't stop until you find something," said Agent Brand firmly, "I'll need to report this to General Grimshaw and the DEA. I have a feeling none of us will be sleeping soundly for the foreseeable future."

"Sleep, I find, is overrated for all the wrong reasons."

Abigail Brand stormed out of the lab, barging past any unfortunate worker that got in her path. She understood the threat Kick posed. It would make mutants more difficult to deal with than they already were. If they couldn't handle Scranton effectively, what hope would they have against mutants armed with Kick? Such a threat was sure to dominate both the MSA and the X-men for the foreseeable future.

Hank waited until Agent Brand had left the lab. He shared many of her concerns, but for an entirely different reason. Kick was a threat. There was no denying that. However, the forces behind this mysterious drug may be even more menacing. With a grim expression, he reached for his cell phone and made an encrypted call.

"Sage, my dear…it's me. I think I just discovered what Sebastian Shaw has been up to lately."

* * *

 **Up next: Reaching Out**


	6. Issue 154: Reaching Out

**Issue #154  
Reaching Out**

* * *

 _The world has become a dangerous place for humans and mutants. Professor Charles Xavier formed his mutant team, the X-men, to confront that danger. With every struggle they overcome, a greater obstacle emerges. It got to a point where the X-men are no longer enough._

 _So in a controversial move, Professor Xavier formed the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. This bold program partnered the X-men with the Mutant Security Agency. With their support, the X-men are better equipped than ever and they need to be. Now, a dangerous new threat has emerged in the form of a powerful new drug._

 _In the lab, it is known as Mutant Growth Hormone. On the streets, it is known as Kick. This drug, when used, enhances the abilities of any mutant. The potential of this drug was fully demonstrated when a mutant named Beak got his hands on it. The drug turned him into a menacing threat which took the collective efforts of X-Factor, Iceman, Shadowcat, Colossus, and X-23 to resolve. In this hard-fought victory, another startling revelation was uncovered. The Brotherhood is after this drug as well._

 _The potential for danger posed by Kick is vast. Despite having had shaky performances from the X-men lately, Professor Xavier must focus his attention on confronting this threat. There are already significant tensions between the authorities and the mutant community. Not everyone is happy with the Mutant Monitoring Initiative and a drug like Kick could make things much worse._

* * *

 **Pentagon – Secure Meeting Room**

It was amazing how large problems came in such small packages. Bigger problems, like the incident in Scranton, almost seemed easier by comparison. Issues like an exploding mutant were finite in scale and easier to confront. Something like Kick, which could literally fit into anyone's pocket, was _much_ more difficult.

That was the daunting challenge before Charles Xavier, General Grimshaw, President Kelly, and every other level of government. A single vial of the reddish substance stood in the center of the conference table. Professor Xavier had been fixated on it since Hank gave him his full analysis. It did everything it was rumored to do. That was why President Kelly conferred a meeting with the top officials at the MSA, the DEA, and Homeland Security.

He also set up a series of teleconference links countries from South America, the European Union, The African Union, and the Pacific Rim could participate. The President himself was out of the country, but his anxious face dominated the main projection screen. He echoed the many concerns that other countries shared.

" _So if I'm interpreting these reports correctly, this Mutant Growth Hormone is basically a horror show in a bottle. It takes mutants that are dangerous to begin with and makes them even more dangerous by enhancing their powers,"_ President Kelly summarized through the main video link.

"And potentially giving them new powers in the process," said an official from the DEA.

" _Right, can't forget about THAT,"_ said the Commander-in-Chief dryly, _"It's just starting to hit the streets. Word is starting to leak out over the internet after the incident in Boston. And somewhere in between, the Brotherhood is interested."_

" _Who remain unaccounted for and untracked despite our best efforts,"_ said a top defense official from Russia through another video link.

" _Who's to say they aren't the ones behind it?"_ said an official from Mexico.

" _If they have the means to evade our collective detection, then surely they have the means to concoct such an obscene drug,"_ said a military official from China.

" _But for what purpose? Simply frustrating our collective efforts with the Mutant Monitoring Initiative seems rather…unambitious,"_ said an MSA affiliate from Egypt.

" _I thought that was the point of this impromptu meeting,"_ a science advisor from India pointed out, _"My country signed on for the Mutant Monitoring Initiative with the understanding that Charles Xavier and the MSA would address such threats. I would much appreciate it if that stipulation was honored."_

That frustration was shared by many. All eyes turned towards Xavier, whether it be the officials present at the conference table or the officials looking in through a video link. They didn't just want answers. They wanted action.

Professor Xavier tried to maintain his calm despite this harsh scrutiny. These people expected a lot from him and his X-men. The threat was so new and difficult to quantify. There wasn't much he could say to stem their fears. He looked over towards General Grimshaw, who gave him an understanding nod. It was his way of telling him to say what needed to be said.

"The report you've all seen is merely the beginning," said Professor Xavier, "I'm not a miracle worker and neither are my X-men. We're just beginning to scratch the surface of what Mutant Growth Hormone can do. We're a _long_ way away from assessing every danger."

" _We can still reasonably conclude that this will be a problem. If just one mutant armed with Kick can put Boston on high alert, I hate to think what an army of angry mutants is capable of,"_ said President Kelly warily.

" _Not forgetting that there are plenty of mutants that are at odds with the initiative,"_ said a defense minister from Germany, _"We've seen an uptick in mutants actively opposing our efforts in my country."_

"Let's not start connecting the dots before we've seen the big picture," said General Grimshaw, "We're all adjusting to these new procedures. We'll only make them worse if we overreact to this Kick phenomenon."

"The General is correct. Mutants will only be inclined to use Kick if we give them sufficient reason," Professor Xavier went on, "If anything, this should motivate us to adopt more reasonable procedures. If you'll recall, Barnell Bohusk grew frustrated because his parents took advantage of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. They claimed this boy was a threat when he really wasn't, but that was all the European wing of the MSA needed to hear to send him to the Academy of Tomorrow."

" _Yes, I'm aware of that case,"_ said an MSA officer from Denmark, _"It's a bit more complicated than that."_

"I don't doubt that, but it doesn't change the outcome. We're making it too easy for mutants to lose control over their lives. Despite their mutant powers, they feel powerless and Mr. Bohusk saw Kick as a means to change that."

" _That's all well and good, Xavier, but refining our procedures is a laborious process. We can't expect anxious mutants to be patient with us,"_ said President Kelly.

"I'm not saying we should. I believe Kick is a symptom rather than a full-blown disease. We can't focus on one over the other. We'll only evoke more fear if we act aggressively against this drug."

"It might be justified in this instance," said the head of Homeland Security, "This is one drug we need to stop before it becomes the next crack cocaine."

" _Your country can't even keep smugglers from importing several tons of cocaine at a time. Do you really expect to prevent a drug like this from spreading?"_ said a diplomat from Columbia.

"I suppose _you_ would know," said the head of DEA dryly.

"Gentlemen please! Let's not start _that_ debate again," urged General Grimshaw, "We need to focus on Mutant Growth Hormone. And if you're willing to listen, we may be in a better position than you think."

Emotions were escalating. Recent incidents like Scranton and Boston had shaken their confidence in the MSA and the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. They needed something to reaffirm that they were doing the right thing.

Taking a deep breath, Professor Xavier gathered every last bit of confidence and stood up. He then retrieved the small vial of Kick and held it up. Whereas many saw this as a crisis in the making, he saw it as an opportunity.

It was the kind of threat where the X-men and the authorities could demonstrate their collective strength. On their own, they would have a very difficult time dealing with this. Together, they could stop a crisis before it began.

"I may be asking a lot, but for a moment I want everyone looking at this substance to set aside their inherent fears," said the Professor, "Allow me to list the finer details of Hank McCoy's report. The market for a drug like Kick is _extremely_ limited. Only mutants may use it. If an ordinary human were to inject this drug, the amphetamines alone would trigger heart palpitations. In addition, the mutant proteins would cause near fatal damage. Hank likens it to going through every stage of terminal cancer within a few minutes."

"And if the market is limited, that means it isn't as profitable as your basic street junk," added General Grimshaw, "Profit drives all black markets. Given the population of mutants and the percentage of those foolish enough to use it, the incentives just aren't there."

"Which leads me to another important detail," Xavier went on, "Mutant Growth Hormone is _very_ difficult to make. Hank and I estimated that this one dose I hold would cost over half-a-million dollars to synthesize. The components are rare and the technology required is unavailable even to the most resourceful drug cartel."

"All the more reason to suspect the Brotherhood," surmised a high-ranking Colonel from the MSA, "They still have Genoshan hardware at their disposal and all recent intelligence reports indicate they've become more active lately."

"You're reasoning is sound, Colonel. But correlation does not equal causation," said the Professor, "I don't believe the Brotherhood is responsible for MGH. According to Barnell Bohusk's statement, they were actively seeking samples of their own. They may be interested in making it, but lack the know-how."

" _Are we supposed to interpret that as good news?"_ said an official from the French Defense Ministry in a cynical tone.

"I would argue it's quite revealing. It means that this exotic substance is a fairly new phenomenon. It hasn't been fully refined yet. Mr. Bohusk said the first dose made him very ill. It took two doses for the effect to take hold. This would indicate that whoever is behind MGH is also ill-equipped to do much with it. So there's still time for us to act!"

" _I want to be encouraged by that, Xavier. But how are we supposed to confront this threat when we don't know who's behind it?"_ asked an official from Israel.

" _If not the Brotherhood, then who?"_ asked President Kelly intently.

"We don't know that yet, but we have a few suspects," said Professor Xavier, "My X-men are investigating this as we speak. We're not stumbling around in the dark on this issue. We have a good idea of what we're looking for and we'll need cooperation from every country participating in the Mutant Monitoring Initiative to make this work."

" _Given recent events, that may be asking a bit much, Xavier,"_ said a UN official from South Africa.

"Recent shortcomings should not dissuade long-term promise," he retorted, "I sense you all want assurance that this initiative can work. I only ask that you give me a chance to prove it. This threat is too great. We cannot allow in-fighting and mistrust to dampen our ability to combat it!"

He sounded confident, if not a little arrogant. It didn't sit well with officials from some countries. It didn't even sit well with officials that physically present. Professor Xavier was just as unnerved about this threat as they were.

Moreover, he seemed intent on using this threat to make up for the recent shortcomings of his X-men. Part of the reason they agreed to this initiative was because mutant threats were difficult to confront on their own. This was one threat where even countries with large armies would have difficulty stopping. Charles Xavier was their best hope whether they liked it or not.

Professor Xavier stood silently as he watched some nearby officials chatter amongst themselves. He saw on the numerous computer screens how various officials were contemplating their next move. President Kelly didn't need much consultation. He continued staring down the Professor through his computer monitor.

The Professor saw plenty of reservations. He also saw a burning desire to make this initiative work. General Grimshaw was one of them and shot Xavier a hardened gaze. It was his way of conferring a sense of urgency. They had all staked so much on it. Now more than ever, they needed it to bear fruit.

" _We'll have to discuss this further, but for now you should work under the assumption that you have our support. We all have one too many reasons for wanting MGH eradicated,"_ said President Kelly.

"Thank you for your confidence, Mr. President. I assure you, my X-men will deliver," said Professor Xavier.

" _It's not confidence. It's a lack of options. We have no other means of dealing with this threat at the moment. Don't assume that it'll stay that way. Every country, including this one, will continue to seek alternatives. It would be in all our best interest if that weren't necessary."_

"I understand. I'll be sure to provide regular updates as details emerge. My X-men are in the field as we speak."

" _Well for all our sake, they better get their act together. I'm sick of everyone making excuses. Be it personal or logistical, we need to keep moving forward."_

* * *

 **Boston – Outside Fenway Park**

The aftermath of the incident with Beak was not the worst the X-men had ever dealt with. It wasn't even top ten. Much of the destruction had been constrained to Fenway Park and the damage was purely superficial.

Within two days, the field was fixed and just in time for a scheduled Red Sox/Yankees game no less. That helped keep the public reaction to a minimum. There were plenty of concerns about mutants trying to escape from the Academy of Tomorrow and rumors of drugs that could enhance their powers. Those concerns weren't enough to prevent eager baseball fans from crowding Fenway Park.

Within this crowd, Jean and Rogue were tasked with investigating the scene. They were among the first to arrive in Boston with the MSA when Piotr reported the incident. They would be the last to leave since nobody had been able to track down whoever Beak obtained his stash of Kick from.

MSA officers and local police hit a dead end. Instead, they focused on getting Fenway ready for the game and providing additional security. Professor Xavier trusted Jean and Rogue to uncover something that the MSA had missed. For Jean, such trust may have been misplaced.

' _I feel completely overmatched and for once, it's NOT because someone is trying to kill me. I must really be slipping. I still can't focus my mind like I used to. All I pick up on are complaints about how expensive hot dogs are and angry Yankee slurs. Yet I'm supposed to uncover the source of this mutant-enhancing drug? It would be hilarious if it wasn't so pathetic.'_

Jean rubbed her temples and groaned as she followed Rogue around the concession stands near the front gate. Her troubled demeanor didn't go unnoticed. For once, Rogue was the one who stayed focused.

"You finished lookin' like someone ran over your foot yet? We need to pick up on some fresh leads and Ah ain't the one with telepathy," said Rogue.

"I'm trying, Rogue! There are a lot of thoughts to sift through. Most of them deal with how many games the Red Sox need to win to make the playoffs," grumbled Jean.

"In that case, shouldn't a fella dealing mutant enhancing drugs stand out?" she retorted.

"That's assuming he's still in the area. He could have fled the city for all we know."

"That ain't what Beak told us," Rogue reminded her, "You were there when Xavier poked around in his mind. The guy he got his stash from had another customer in Boston. That's plenty of reason to stick around if you ask meh."

"And you think this guy is a Red Sox fan?" said Jean dryly.

"Ah think he's the kind of guy or gal that would be worried about loose ends. The General told the media we were still nosin' around the scene. Even if it's a bluff, it might draw out our sneaky drug dealer."

"If he's smart enough to get a hold of this stuff, then he's smart enough to avoid detection," said Jean, who had to stop walking for a moment.

"Is it really that hard on you, Jean? Or are you just making excuses?" Rogue questioned.

There was a certain apprehension to her tone. Rogue didn't even walk back to offer Jean support as she rubbed her sore head. She was not as inclined to help her friend this time. Not when she had an attitude like this.

Jean looked back at her with an almost shameful glance. She didn't even try to deny Rogue's accusations. For someone who once confronted a cosmic entity, Jean Grey had become laughably inept. Rogue didn't need her absorption powers to figure out why.

"Come on, sugah. At least _try_ to convince meh that you ain't slipping," she said dryly, "You used to be the last one to pack it in when the goin' got tough."

"I'm not _packing it in_ , Rogue," said Jean, trying to thrust some strength into her tone, "I'm just…"

"Restless? Whiney? Unfocused? Irritable? Or just plain weak?" offered Rogue without letting her finish.

"Are you trying to rub it in or be supportive?"

"Ah'm trying to point out what ought to be pretty dang obvious! You've been on the same missions as everybody else. That includes the nasty ones like Scranton. By and large, we've moved on. We live, we learn, and we try to get stronger. You seem to be going in the opposite direction. Ah refuse to believe that not being with Scott is holding you back _that_ much."

Jean cringed at the mention of her former lover. Most had been mindful enough to avoid the subject. Now it was becoming too apparent to ignore. Him leaving the X-men had affected her in ways that she never could've imagined. A part of her was furious. A larger part was sad. These past few months had been the loneliest of her life, including the time she spent at that insane asylum. It was getting to a point where she needed to confront the harsher truths.

"Ah ain't trying to make it worse, Jean," said Rogue in a more empathic tone, "Ah won't say Ah understand the heartbreak you feel. What you and Scott had…hell, it was deep. Way deeper than Ah can ever put into words."

"You talk about it in the past tense. As if it isn't there anymore," said Jean.

"Ah'm not saying it ain't. Ah'm not even saying you two don't love each other no more. Ah'm just reminding you the circumstances."

"Which suck on _so_ many levels," she said bitterly.

"But not as many as there could be," Rogue retorted, "Your life doesn't have to end just because Scott Summers ain't part of it. At some point, you gotta move forward. Ah know that's easy for meh to say because Ah've still got mah boyfriend, but keep in mind we had our share of _circumstances_ as well. Hell, Ah left the dang team at one point so they ain't _that_ different."

"Were those circumstances ever _this_ bad?" questioned Jean.

"That's beside the point, sugah. Now Ah ain't psychic. Ah can't tell ya if Scott will come to his senses. If and when he does, you shouldn't tie your hands around your back in the meantime. Get out there! Live your life! You'll be stronger in the long run."

Rogue tried to encourage her without coming off as harsh. In this instance, she needed to be harsh on some levels. Jean Grey had never dealt with something like this before. First the Phoenix Force left her. Then Scott left her. It was a double shot of abandonment on top of the ever-present crisis of being X-men. Having dealt with abandonment issues of her own, she was all too aware of the impact it left. She worked through it. There was no reason someone like Jean Grey couldn't do the same.

Jean resisted the inclination to make more excuses. She swallowed her sorrow and her discomfort to come off as stronger than she really felt. Rogue showed some frustration of her own, having vented more than she expected. With all the commotion surrounding them, they both needed a moment to gather themselves.

"Ah'm gonna go check in with our MSA pals. Maybe do some rounds and catch the opening pitch," said Rogue in a calmer tone, "Ah'll meet up with you later. Ah think we both need to _decompress_."

"Is busting my chops really that exhausting?" said Jean with a half-grin.

"More than you think," Rogue conceded as she started walking away.

"Would it help if I thanked you? If you weren't going to say it, someone else would have."

"You can thank meh by taking what Ah said to heart. Don't just listen. Do something with it! While you're at it, take some time for the mission. A mutant-enhancing drug is a hell of a lot bigger than our personal dramas."

Her words lingered with Jean as Rogue disappeared into a vast sea of baseball fans. Jean stood silently near a bench, taking deep breaths and collecting her thoughts after what felt like some long overdue scolding.

' _Rogue is right on all counts. Hell, she's right about all the stuff she didn't call me out on, but sure as hell wanted to. I can't keep torturing myself like this. I'm an X-man! I should be able to function without a boyfriend. No matter how much I love Scott, we're not together at the moment. He's living his life. I should live mine. I just wish the idea of moving forward didn't feel so lonely.'_

The time for self-loathing was over. There were missions to complete and minds to sift through. Scrapping together whatever confidence she could muster, Jean Grey shook off her discomfort and resumed her investigation.

"No more slipping," she said to herself as she started walking, "Time to get back to work!"

"Work at a baseball game? I think you're being too obvious, Miss Grey," came an unexpected voice.

Jean had taken only a few steps, having passed a nearby concession stand along the way. She had been so distracted that she didn't realize that someone she knew was standing in line mere feet from where she and Rogue had been arguing. It was Shiro Yoshida from the Academy of Tomorrow and from the looks of it, he heard their entire debate.

"Sunfire? Is that…" Jean began.

"You may call me Shiro, Miss Grey," he said, silencing her quickly amidst the crowd, "We're in public and if you're worried about _slipping_ , then you would be wise to emphasize discretion."

Now Jean felt like she was slipping again. Just when she vowed to refocus her efforts, she discovered she had overlooked a familiar presence. Shiro Yoshida was a top-level instructor at the Academy of Tomorrow. He also seemed better equipped for an investigation by wearing clothes that ensured he wouldn't stand out.

He wore a baseball cap and a Red Sox jacket. Holding a beer in one hand and a hot dog in the other, he looked like a typical baseball fan. If he was looking for the same individual as her, then he was in a much better position to get results.

"Uh…right," she said sheepishly, "Mind if I take a moment to gather my pride?"

"Walk with me and I'll help you find it. In the meantime, you can also help me with my own search," said Shiro.

"I take it this means we're after the same _vendor_ , so to speak," said Jean, being more careful with her words.

"This _vendor_ struck my home, my school, and my students. I would have to be a real ass to simply brush it aside. I had a feeling our friends at the MSA would feel the same. Imagine my surprise when I hear one of their top associates is mired by personal issues."

"Wait…exactly how long have you been following me and Rogue?" questioned Jean suspiciously.

"I'd rather not say. I'll simply point out that we have similar goals and I have a lead that may require the aid of a psychic."

"What kind of lead are we talking about?" she asked with new-found intrigue.

"The kind that may be nothing…or everything," he replied, "It is also the kind that gives us plenty of time to talk. If you're interested, you should know I'm more patient than your friend."

Jean looked at Shiro with a raised eyebrow. He looked a lot more focused than she was. The way he kept scanning the crowd as they walked along implied that he knew what he was looking for. That was a lot more promising than randomly scanning minds.

In addition, he seemed intrigued by her conversation with Rogue. It was no secret that she was sorting through some issues within the team. Her friends offered her understanding. However, Shiro was completely detached from the many dramas surrounding the X-men while still being part of the same struggle. In a strange way, he might be the best person to talk to for problems like this.

"Okay, I'll tag along. But don't expect me to spill my guts. I've done enough of that over the past few months," said Jean.

"Understandable," he said, "I teach teenagers who are routinely assaulted by hormones every other second. I can stand to overlook a few details."

"I appreciate that," she said with a light smile, "Before we go any further, mind telling me about this so-called lead?"

"Keep walking and talking with me. In Japan, we prefer to multi-task. We also prefer subtlety. Such a _distinguished_ figure like yourself may draw more attention than you prefer."

It was hard to tell if Shiro was being pragmatic or flirtatious. It might have been a little of both because he took out a spare Red Sox cap from his backpack and placed it on Jean's head. He also gave her a pair of sunglasses to further disguise her gaze. Such a mixed gesture came as a surprise, but Jean decided to go with it.

"I'm tempted to ask if you carry spare disguises for all the women you come across," she said with a slight tease, "Whatever the case, you're way more prepared than I am. Guess the least I can do let you know the kind of messed up woman you're dealing with."

"I appreciate that," he said with a humored grin, "You might want to keep your mind open in the meantime. This person of interest I am looking for should stand out in a very _distinct_ way."

* * *

 **District X – Sage's Lab**

"This is madness on an entirely new level. I knew it was coming. I knew I was going to be disgusted. So why am I _still_ surprised?" mused Sage, speaking in a stoic voice with nullified emotions.

"That's what happens when you keep your emotions turned off, my love. It's far too easy to confuse surprise with outrage," said Hank, who was standing behind her.

He was probably right. He usually was when it came to issues that tore her heart in a billion different directions. Hank McCoy was the only man from whom she could not suppress her emotions. As they studied the dangerous potential of Mutant Growth Hormone, it evoked feelings in her that were difficult to turn off.

Hank had finally pulled himself away from the fancy labs at SWORD and paid a much-needed visit to his distraught girlfriend. They had been in constant contact since Hank go his hands on this devious substance. For once, the mystery of what it was and where it came from didn't frustrate their efforts.

Sage already knew who was responsible. It was written in the most important ingredients of this drug. In her lab, Hank used the data from his analysis with SWORD to construct an advanced molecular model. That model was projected into a large hologram that dominated most of Sage's lab. As she looked at it, she turned on some of her emotions. It allowed her to properly expressed how much she _despised_ the monster behind this.

"I knew Sebastian Shaw couldn't be satisfied with merely taunting me," seethed Sage, "He's always favored the indirect approach, tormenting his enemies on a personal level before getting around to the physical."

"He certainly hasn't been subtle about it. I suspect this may be the culmination of his work in District X," said Hank as he consoled his lover with a gentle embrace.

"I don't need to suspect. I _know_ MGH is related. I recognize some of the protein chains in your analysis. They're direct copies from mutants who decided to join Shaw's little venture."

"I noticed that as well. Only someone of Shaw's considerable resources could possibly assemble so many distinct ingredients and assemble them in a way that has such a potent effect," said Hank.

"It's pure logistics. In order to enhance mutant abilities, he needs the right combination of enzymes and catalysts. The only way he could possibly synthesize something of this nature is by taking direct samples."

"Under the convenient cover of sheltering them from the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, no less," added Hank.

"Don't you dare start admiring his ingenuity, Hank. Shaw takes advantage of every circumstance, regardless of the politics involved. But that's not what has me holding back so many emotions. What truly enrages me is those mutants he recruits probably don't know they're helping him. They don't know they're giving him the kind of power he loves exploiting in the worst conceivable ways!"

Sage's stoic demeanor shattered and she lashed out at the image before her, slamming her fist right down on her computer panel. That caused the molecular image to flicker. She demonstrated strength that even Hank found impressive.

He was among the very few who knew how Sebastian Shaw had affected her. What he was doing now struck her on a very personal level. After she left Shaw, she helped form District X as a way to make up for the horrors she incurred under his leadership. By undermining District X, Shaw demonstrated that he could hurt her in ways that even her brilliant mind couldn't get around.

"Have you spoken to Bishop about this?" asked Hank, hoping to change the subject.

"He won't listen. Neither will Madrox," she said bitterly, "They think Shaw is doing too much good for District X."

"You haven't told them about your history with him, have you?"

"I've found it hard to articulate that I was once Shaw's personal lap dog…and occasional mistress. I find it even harder to describe the horrors I created for him, all because he gave me the resources to do so."

"So you'll maintain the same ambivalent silence you've fortified for the past six months?" said Hank with a touch of criticism in his tone.

"If you think less of me for doing so, I don't blame you," she said solemnly as she looked away from her lover.

"You're making it difficult for me to help you, Sage. I've gone to great lengths to earn your trust. I'm putting my own standing at risk by assisting you with this."

"If you expect me to make it up to you, I can reinforce the bed with adamantium clamps by the end of the week," she said.

"Throw all the emotions you can at me, Sage. I only expect that honor my trust as much as I've honored yours," he said, "And if you're not going to come up with a means of confronting Sebastian Shaw, then I'll have to take a few liberties. Seeing as how this is such a touchy subject, I've already gotten a head start."

Sage looked at her lover curiously. She watched as Hank closed the image depicting MGH on her computer screen and activate the communications link. Without asking her permission, he made a quick announcement.

"Come on in," he said, "We're ready for you."

The doors to Sage's lab opened. Isaac and Jubilee then entered. It looked as though they had been waiting for quite a while, indicating that Hank had discussed this with them ahead of time. Sage looked at her lover with a mix of curiosity and nervousness. He showed the same stoic demeanor she had long since mastered, as if to send her a larger message.

"It's about time you called us in! I was starting to wonder if you were convincing her the _hard way,_ if you know what I mean," said Jubilee in a wry tone.

"Actually, I haven't convinced her. I'm hoping you two will help me because she has reason to be skeptical," said Hank.

"I cannot say I blame her," said Isaac, "Being suspicious of Sebastian Shaw is not a popular sentiment at the moment. He's become quite the idol over the past six months and I've never been fond of opportunistic men in expensive clothing."

"Which is why I enlisted you for this operation," said Hank, "As I've explained to _Tessa_ , Sebastian Shaw is likely involved with Mutant Growth Hormone. However, he's done a very thorough job of insulating himself from scrutiny. No one in the government can touch him. He has too many politicians on his payroll. Even other mutants are wary now that he's made so many friends in District X. But it's for that very reason that we're in a venerable position to uncover Shaw's dealings."

There was a certain subtlety in his tone. It was his way of telling Sage that he hadn't divulged the more unscrupulous details about her involvement with Shaw. He had not betrayed her trust, putting up a convincing act for Isaac and Jubilee. Being the cultured man that he was, Hank continued his performance. It put Sage in an interesting yet awkward position.

"I'm not gonna lie to you, Miss Tessa. I've seriously contemplated taking Shaw up on his offer," said Jubilee, "I don't like the idea of the government knowing when and how I use my powers. The only reason I haven't done it is because Bishop and Madrox convinced me to hold off. They say a well-known enforcer in District X going off the grid would get noticed."

"While I can think of many more reasons, I am not a mutant so I'm not in a position to judge," said Isaac, "But I too have been suspicious of Sebastian Shaw's charity. So over the past few months, I've been doing some investigating of my own."

"Picking more outside battles? Isn't that what got you in trouble before, Isaac?" Sage pointed out.

"Indeed it did, but this is one battle that we cannot avoid," said Isaac.

"And in recent weeks, he's come up with some intriguing findings," said Hank, "He's yet to share them with Bishop and Madrox so I convinced him to let me have a peak. I think it raises some _interesting_ possibilities."

Isaac nodded and handed Hank a sealed envelope. Upon opening it, he took out a series of high-definition photos. It looked like they had been taken at a distance. They all depicted shadowy figures exchanging concealed objects in clandestine locations.

One of them in particular stood out. It depicted Barnell Bohusk purchasing something from a mysterious figure in a sweatshirt. With the incident in Boston still fresh on everyone's mind, it didn't take a computerized mind to surmise what he was buying.

"Before you ask, let me assure you this is _exactly_ what it looks like," said Isaac.

"It is, indeed, the young man Colossus helped bring in. This was taken a day before the incident at Fenway Park. There's little doubt that the package he received contained Mutant Growth Hormone," said Hank as he gave the photo to Sage.

"By divine fate, I happen to come across such a scene while investigating Sebastian Shaw," Isaac added, "I suspected he was reaching out to students at the Academy of Tomorrow just as he had done in District X. I had no idea he was taking it to these ungodly levels."

"All the more reason to suspect that Sebastian Shaw is involved," said Hank as he started pacing, "Now Professor Xavier and every branch of government expects us to uncover more. Given our recent mishaps, this is as good a time as any to deliver. If we can use this to take down Shaw, then everyone benefits. To do so, we'll have to dig a little deeper."

"That's where I come in," said Jubilee proudly, "I'm going to give Shaw's people a call and say I want in. I want him to cut the puppet strings so I can fry old TVs with my powers in peace. It'll put me in the heart of his plan!"

"And in a world of danger," Sage pointed out in a disapproving tone.

"Before you yell at me, can I just state my case?" asked Jubilee.

"I was going to yell at Hank, but I prefer to save my breath," she said, shooting her lover a harsh scold.

"First off, I came up with this idea. Not Hank. Not Isaac," said Jubilee, "Second, Bishop and Madrox don't know about it. I'd rather _not_ have them freak. And third, I _want_ to take this risk. You guys have been sheltering me ever since I joined District X. I know my youth is a liability at times, but isn't it time I graduate from being a second stringer? If District X is in danger, let's do something more than worry and be part of a bigger plan!"

Sage continued to scold Hank for bringing Jubilee into this. Sebastian Shaw was a very personal issue for her. She should've been the one that helped take him down. However, it was easy to forget that this man's reach went far beyond her history with him.

Shaw put every citizen of District X in danger. He put every human on the planet in danger by producing something like MGH. Hank, Jubilee, and many others had a stake in this battle. As such, they deserved to be part of it.

She still had her reservations. Looking at Isaac's photos and then back towards Jubilee, she questioned this young girl's ability to deceive a man like Sebastian Shaw. She had grown up a lot faster than most girls her age. Time and again, she proved more capable than a typical teenage girl. There was little logic to indicate that her infiltrating Shaw Industries would be successful, but it was their best bet.

"Are you giving this plan serious thought? Or are you just contemplating how you're going to yell at me?" asked Hank.

"I'm still tempted. I may overcompensate if you keep giving me reasons," said Sage, "Unfortunately, dealing with Sebastian Shaw usually means taking risks that make you sick to your stomach."

"Does that mean you'll help us with that supercomputer you call a brain?" asked Jubilee.

"I have a great many incentives to ensure you don't get yourself killed. I have just as many incentives to see the MSA haul Sebastian Shaw tarred and feathered."

"Then it's settled. We move forward with this plan," said Isaac.

"Not before I go over some of the finer details," said Sage, taking on her stoic demeanor again, "If we're going to take this man on, we need to proceed very carefully. Shaw has a knack for surprising his enemies in the worst possible way."

* * *

 **Nova Roma – X-Force Base**

"So the plan is on. Hank and Tessa are on board and we're good to go…not bad, seeing as how you didn't have to come up with it. We just told you where to point your camera…no, that's not me being cynical. That's me admiring our luck. Guess I'm more used to it than you are…no problem. Just make sure no one knows you're making calls like this. You've done your part. Now X-Force can do theirs…you too, Isaac. Godspeed."

Domino closed the encrypted communication link, relieved that her personal connection with Isaac had paid dividends, yet anxious that it was getting so intense. She had the whole conversation under Scott, Emma, and Logan's harsh scrutiny. Sitting in their makeshift War Room, they were eager to get the full story for this developing crisis.

"So it's official. Sebastian Shaw has crawled out from whatever rock he's been hiding under," said Logan, aching to sink his claws into that madman.

"I'd say that's a safe assumption," sighed Domino, "According to Isaac, Tessa and Beast were pretty convinced. Some techno-babble that I don't have enough PHDs to understand implied that he's the only one who can synthesize something like Kick."

"I believe it," said Emma in a cold tone, "It fits his manipulative personality. He convinces dozens of scared mutants into working with him. Then he turns around and uses their blood for his deranged R&D projects."

"It's a good thing you convinced Isaac to share information with us, Neena. Now we know where these rumors of a mutant enhancing drug came from," said Scott.

"As if Laura's little clash with that kid in Boston ain't proof enough," grumbled Logan.

"In any case, I'd rather you _not_ thank me," said Domino in a more serious tone, "I didn't convince Isaac to do this. He's the one that decided to play both sides of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative debate. I just hope he has as much luck as I do. He'll need it."

Isaac's participation in the operations was a touchy subject. Scott, Logan, and Emma didn't make too big a deal of it. They were more concerned about the prospects of fighting Sebastian Shaw again. It was a pressing issue, but that didn't remove the personal stake that Domino now had in it.

It was exactly what Domino had feared. Shortly after the Mutant Monitoring Initiative was announced, she and Isaac met in private to discuss it. They both determined that government-managed mutants would incur more trouble than any faith could prevent. So when Scott Summers came along and pitched X-Force to her, Domino jumped at the chance.

Isaac could have come with them. However, he decided to stay in District X. He believed he would be more useful as an outside observer as he put it, which she interpreted as a way to avoid calling himself a spy. He put himself in a vulnerable position, keeping an eye on mutant activity in District X and feeding information to X-Force. Now the danger had escalated with the emergence of Mutant Growth Hormone.

It started with small rumors that Emma detected with their mini-Cerebrum. Mutants in certain areas couldn't stop talking about some power-enhancing drug. Then the incident in Boston happened. Logan's own little spy, X-23, provided them a sample to analyze. They came to the same conclusion as Hank and Tessa. That stuff was trouble. Now, with Isaac's help, they had a potential plan of attack.

"So what are we waiting for? Why aren't we on our way to Shaw's nearest office, beating down doors, and putting the bastard back in a coma?" said Emma.

"Because Shaw has been a _lot_ more careful after murdering his son," said Scott as he started pacing, "Like any competent sociopath, he knows how to keep a low profile."

"Probably helps that he's rich as hell and got an army of powerful assholes in his back pocket," grumbled Logan.

"That too," Scott conceded, "We know he made an appearance in District X. We also know he has some network to get mutants into his company without having to get his hands dirty."

"Isaac has been looking into that for months, but he hasn't found much," said Domino, "Far as he can tell, Shaw delivers on what he promises. He gives the mutants some device that keeps the MSA from tracking them. He also gives them jobs in his company."

"Which, if the price of his stock holdings are any indication, have been pretty lucrative," said Emma, "Making money off the backs of mutants has always been part of his business model."

"Well Kick proves that he's not content with making a little extra money," said Domino, "Those mutants must be providing the raw materials Shaw needs to make Kick. They probably don't even know they're helping him."

"It's more efficient than simply kidnapping and torturing them. I'm sure _that's_ what he would prefer," said Emma dryly.

"He may still get his chance," said Logan, "You saw what that shit did to the kid in Boston. If he's still working the kinks out, he may recruit a few extra test subjects and he won't ask for permission."

"As horrific as that sounds, I think we should be as less concerned about how Kick came to be and more about what Shaw intends to do with it," said Scott as he contemplated this development.

"It's a drug that gives mutants more power. Shaw is a mutant. I'd say the purpose is pretty damn clear," said Emma, "All the more reason to find him and take him down!"

"And we will. We'll follow the District X plan with Jubilee every step of the way. Hopefully that will lead us to Shaw, but I suspect there's more to it. I don't think Shaw would have come up with something like this on his own. I think there has to be another hand in this."

It wasn't an unreasonable assumption. Sebastian Shaw had made deals with shady individuals before. Selene, the Black Queen, was one that nearly brought the world to an end on more than one occasion. For all they knew, Shaw had a long list of people like her. Any one of them could've been behind Kick. It was only a matter of time before their true intent was revealed.

"Well if there is someone else involved, I doubt we'll find them by relying on the competence of the X-men and District X," said Emma, "I'm going to do some digging of my own. I know Shaw better than anyone here and if he's got another closet of skeletons, I'll find it!"

"Is there anything I could say that would stop you?" asked Scott.

"We used to date, Scott. If you don't know by now that I take certain missions very personally, then it's no wonder we broke up."

Emma didn't wait for Scott's approval and he had no intention of arguing it. She proceeded to storm out of the War Room, seething with the kind of anger that only Sebastian Shaw could incite.

"Damn, and I thought I held grudges," said Logan.

"Compared to Emma Frost, you're still an amateur. We all are," sighed Scott.

"Does this mean we're short a telepath in our battle against Shaw?" asked Domino.

"For now, at least," said the X-Force leader, "Our best bet to take him down is through Jubilee's infiltration. We have to assume that Professor Xavier and the MSA are under heavy pressure to get rid of this threat."

"And we're not?" questioned Domino.

"Unlike us, another failure from the X-men and the Mutant Monitoring Initiative could have serious repercussions. We had to pull them out of the fire in Scranton. If we have to do it again, we need to be ready…while taking down Shaw, of course."

"Couldn't it go the other way?" asked Logan, "We're relying on spies, hunches, and a pissed off Emma Frost. This may be one mess where Chuck and his government goons are in a better position than we are."

Scott stopped pacing for a moment and turned back towards the War Room computer. On it, they had the small vial of Kick that Laura had given Logan. He walked over to retrieve it and held it up firmly.

The threat the drug posed was great. It was easy to feel unequipped to deal with it. So far, X-Force demonstrated that they could succeed in areas where the Mutant Monitoring Initiative had failed. He hadn't contemplated too much on how the reverse could hold true. For a threat this big, they may find out.

"We can't worry about the finish line before we've run the race, Logan. We need to focus on this threat and focus hard," said Scott as he grasped the vial, "In order to down a man like Sebastian Shaw we'll need a lot more than we had in Scranton."

"Like what? Luck?" said Domino half-jokingly.

"Among other things," he said, "Chances are we won't know just how much we lack until we need it most."

* * *

 **Boston – Outside Fenway Park**

Jean and Shiro Yoshida had been walking for nearly an hour at this point. They passed by every major gate leading into Fenway Park. They walked around concession stands, police checkpoints, and MSA posts. The game was already underway so the crowds around them had died down somewhat. That allowed them to move a bit further out towards some of the sports bars, street shows, and tailgating areas.

All the while, they remained on the lookout for any activity. Jean kept her mind open for stray thoughts, but she ended up talking more than listening. She quickly discovered that Shiro was a much better listener than Rogue.

"So that's how Scott made it up to me after all was said and done," she said after describing a few highlights from her relationship drama, "Now that I look back on it, I think it was too much."

"I wouldn't say that," said Shiro with a humored grin, "Using the Danger Room to act out a scene from Avatar doesn't strike me as _excessive_."

"Clearly you haven't seen the movie as many times as me. Some scenes are pretty _demanding_ ," said Jean with a slight chuckle.

"I can think of far less practical demands you could have given him. I bet he would still oblige you."

"You're probably right," she said distantly, "Makes me miss him even more."

"I don't blame you. He clearly loved you as much as you loved him. Such love is a precious thing. Losing it is akin to losing part of yourself and filling that void isn't easy."

Jean's expression fell somewhat and she had to look away. Shiro slowed down a bit, offering Jean a look of reassurance. He didn't judge or draw conclusions from anything she told him. He offered simple, insightful observations. It was different from the incessant advice she received from her friends. She had received enough advice on this issue. For now, she was content to just have someone listen.

"Should we stop for a moment?" offered Shiro.

"No, I'm okay. I'm actually better than I was an hour ago," said Jean as she regained her composure, "I'm sorry if I'm hurting your ears with all my personal shit. I know it's not healthy to keep dwelling on a boyfriend I'm not even with at the moment."

"Yet you don't call him your ex," Shiro pointed out, "Although at times it slips."

"Yeah, that's been happening a lot lately," said Jean, still looking down as she stuffed her hands in her pockets, "For a while I believed that Scott would eventually come around. He'll see the good in what we're doing and he'll return to the team."

"But that hasn't happened," he stated.

"No…it hasn't," said Jean sadly, "I used to think it was only a matter of when. Now I'm seriously contemplating adding the _if_ part to that assumption."

"After over six months, I would say you're both entrenched in your roles."

"That's the even scarier part. Because as long as Scott is in X-Force, we can't be together. It's only started to sink in that I may have to live my life without Scott Summers. It's like I have to relearn how to function on my own."

"You seem to be making progress. You're able to talk to me about it, after all," Shiro pointed out.

"That's only because you're a good listener. The others would have tuned me out by now. I get the sense they don't want to be the ones telling me I should move on from Scott."

"I don't either. Nor do I think that's a valid approach to your predicament," he said.

"Then what is? I've heard everything from 'don't let go of true love' to 'go out and enjoy being single again.' I'm not sure what I should do. I need to figure it out soon because what I've been doing these past few months _isn't_ working."

There was a sense of desperation in her tone. She carried herself as a strong woman who had forgotten how to be strong. Shiro saw in her a mix of complicated emotions. In some ways, she was the most emotional person he had ever come across.

Her strength was her passion, but it was also her weakness. When Scott left the X-men, it exposed that weakness and she had no way of dealing with it. As they walked down an avenue of gift shops, they stopped just outside a sports bar. It gave him a moment to process what Jean was telling him while allowing her to collect her thoughts.

"I wish I knew what to tell you, Jean. I've never been very good when it comes to advice," Shiro admitted.

"Yet you're a teacher at a school?" said Jean half-jokingly.

"That's different. Telling a confused young mutant what is right and what is wrong can be broken down and rationalized. Matters of the heart are different. There's no formula or philosophy. I've learned that from my own convoluted romantic experiences."

"Would you say they're anywhere as messed up as mine?" said Jean.

"I can summarize it in fairly graphic detail. As a teenage boy, I had a painfully normal relationship with a girl I loved dearly. Then when my powers manifested, I had a very abnormal and very exciting relationship with a man who understood what it was like to be different and accepted me for who I was."

Jean blinked as these words echoed in her mind. It revealed something that caught her completely by surprise.

"Wait…you're gay?" she said, "Not to make a big deal of it, but…"

"It's okay, Jean. We're in Massachusetts, remember?" said Shiro with a light laugh, "To clarify, I'm bisexual. I have just as much fondness for a man's body as I do a woman's. In a reserved culture like Japan, that's difficult to make sense of. In both those relationships I mentioned, such reservations are what drove us apart. That's part of why I came to America."

"And here I was thinking that Emma Frost blackmailed you into teaching at her school," said Jean somewhat abashedly.

"That's another story altogether," he said in good humor, "I bring this up because as a man of many mixed emotions, I'm not always comfortable in my own skin. In times of heartache, I've learned more about how to cope with myself more than I have at any other time. That experience has been vital in making sense of old relationships while embracing new ones. There's no advice I can give you that you probably haven't already heard. All I'll say is the most useful advice is often learned, not given."

It was a profound insight. Jean found herself frozen in place, digesting every word Shiro just said along with the subtext. This was unknown territory for her. Scott walking away from her and the X-men put her through a wide range of painful emotions that she had yet to fully deal with. Now Shiro called her entire approach into question.

She had been searching for a way to move forward with her life. She listened to all the advice and support her friends had given her. But what had she really learned or even _tried_ to learn from this emotional rollercoaster? Did it really have to destroy her or could it somehow make her stronger?

Shiro saw plenty of conflicts in this woman. She was just beginning to assess them in a somewhat reasonable manner. It spoke volumes to her resolve. He could see now why she was an X-man. If she could learn as well as he suspected, then she could get through this.

"You know, before I joined the Xavier Institute I would get bombarded with all sorts of chaotic thoughts. I would estimate a good seventy percent of those thoughts were people _begging_ themselves for answers," mused Jean.

"Are you talking to me or are you just thinking out loud?" asked Shiro.

"A little of both," she said with a light chuckle, "I bring it up because it sounds so intuitive, reaching outside yourself for answers rather than working to figure it out for yourself. It's enough to make me feel lazy."

"As a psychic, I assume the difficulties are magnified."

"You assume correctly. Maybe that's why it sounds so daunting, relying on my own thoughts rather than the influence of others. But usually the most daunting solutions tend to be the right ones."

"That's a relief. I hope that also means we can refocus our efforts on the mission at hand."

"Right…can't forget about that," she said sheepishly, "Thanks for reminding me…in more ways than one."

"It is one's honor to do so," he said to her, "I'm fully confident that you will learn what needs to be learn. I'm somewhat less confident in our ability to keep pace with this mysterious dealer we're chasing."

The two mutants shared a friendly laugh before taking on more serious demeanor. Personal dramas aside, they still had a job to do. They still had to find whoever it was that sold MGH to Beak. Shiro was ready to step up their efforts and having sufficiently vented her problems on him, Jean was ready too. They were about to resume their walk through the busy streets around Fenway Park. Suddenly, an unexpected commotion erupted from a sports bar across the street.

"Please, Mr. Brevort! I _really_ need to get some things from my studio!" cried a young, Hispanic man as he stumbled out into the middle of the street.

"You set foot in my bar again and I'll beat you in ways your momma should've, you rotten junkie!" roared an older man carrying a baseball.

"I…I'm not a junkie!" said the young man.

"Bullshit! I've seen those unmarked packages outside your door. I've heard you puking in the bathrooms like you've been eating from a toilet."

"It's not what you think! I swear!"

"You think I'm _that_ senile, Vargas? I got enough problems keeping the cops off my back. I don't need your ugly ass adding to it. Now scram before I hit a home run with your head!"

The scene caused quite a commotion. Some nearby civilians stopped walking and watched. Others walked away faster, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire of potential brawl. The young Hispanic man that had just been run out of the bar looked ill. He was shaking, his dark hair was unkempt, and his clothes looked like they hadn't been washed in over a month.

He had all the symptoms of a junkie. Despite the threats from the bartender, he was so fixated on the building he didn't realize he was in the middle of the street. When a car finally drove by, he was jolted from his daze.

"Hey! Move your problems off the road, asshole!" yelled the driver.

"Shut up! Just shut up! I…I need a moment," stammered Vargas, "Need to…get my stuff."

The disturbance died down somewhat as the young man stumbled off the road and onto a curb not far from where Jean and Shiro were standing. Nearby pedestrians avoided him. Some nearby police officers were looking at him suspiciously. He came off as an ordinary junkie with ordinary junkie problems. However, the thoughts he was projecting told a different story.

' _Gotta get back in there. My stash is still in there! I can't let the cops get it. I'll be in trouble with some nasty ass mutants if they don't get their dose of Kick.'_

Jean's eyes widened. Could he be the dealer they had been looking for? If so, he wasn't anywhere near as cunning as they thought.

"What were you saying about not keeping up with our target?" asked Jean as she started making her way towards the young man.

"Why? Did you sense something?" asked Shiro intently.

"Oh yes…I sensed a very _troubled_ mind," she said as her vision narrowed.

Now it was Shiro's turn to catch up. There was no need for subtlety anymore. If this guy was stupid enough to get kicked out of a sports bar, then following him probably wouldn't lead to anything. Taking a page right out of Wolverine's playbook, she went for the direct approach.

"Excuse me. Vargas, is it?" said Jean as she approached him.

"Leave me alone! I've got no time for you, lady!" said Vargas, not even making eye-contact with her.

"Oh I think you should _make_ time," she said in a threatening voice, "You might _kick_ yourself if you don't."

Her emphasis on the word 'kick' caught Vargas's attention. He immediately turned to face her. Sweat was already pouring down the die of his face. Even though she was wearing a baseball cap, he recognized her. That red hair and penetrating gaze was indistinguishable.

"You…you're one of the X-men!" he exclaimed.

"So much for my disguise," she said as she took off her baseball cap, "If you know who I am, then you probably know what I'm about to ask you."

"Fuck off! You'll get nothing out of me," said Vargas as he started backing away.

"Maybe you haven't seen my Wikipedia page, but you don't need to talk for me get what I need from you."

The young man quickly erected barriers around his mind. It was too quick for a junkie, which raised even more questions. Jean didn't let him back away. She used her telekinesis to stop him from backing away any further. By now, Shiro had caught up as well and he was just as interested in the answers this man could provide.

"I would recommend you listen to her. Her talents aren't nearly as _painful_ as mine," said Shiro as he formed a fireball around his hand.

"That's debatable," said Jean as she used her telekinesis to draw him closer, "But let's not be too menacing, Shiro. We need this man's help and he's going to need ours."

"Indeed," said Shiro, "There are lots of ways this could go badly for you, Mr. Vargas. Do yourself a favor and cooperate. You'll save us all a world of trouble."

Vargas was starting to panic. He wanted to turn around and run, but Jean had a telekinetic wall behind him. She ensured there was nowhere for him to escape. He had to think fast. Being captured by the X-men was not an option. His boss wouldn't allow it and he refused to let her down.

As his mind raced, Vargas noticed a woman pushing a baby stroller walking out of a nearby gift shop. She obviously hadn't seen the raucous across the street earlier. So when she saw Jean and Shiro standing in front of her, she was understandably confused. In that moment of confusion, Vargas acted on an impulse.

"To hell with you all! I won't betray my mistress!" he exclaimed.

In a brazen move, he reached over and grabbed the stroller the woman was pushing with a sleeping toddler inside. He then shoved it right out into the middle of the street right into the path of an oncoming car.

"My baby!" cried the woman.

"No!" exclaimed Jean.

The young psychic promptly dropped her telekinetic hold on Vargas and rushed out into the street. The oncoming car was going too fast to avoid the stroller so Jean put up a new barrier, stopping the stroller and causing the car to stop abruptly. Two cars behind it rear ended the first car, adding even more force to the impact. Jean grunted under the strain, but the barriers held. The baby was safe.

"My son! Is he…" said the woman breathlessly as she ran alongside Jean.

"He's fine!" assured Jean, "Can't believe that son-of-a-bitch would…"

"Jean!" said Shiro, who was still standing on the curb, "Vargas is escaping! I'm going after him!"

"I'll catch up! Feel free to burn his ass off!"

"Duly noted!" said Shiro as he took off running.

Everything happenedvery quickly. As soon as Jean dropped her telekinetic hold on Vargas, he ran full speed down the opposing street. He shoved through some bewildered civilians in the process, intent on getting away no matter who he put in danger. Shiro ran after him to catch up. He was surprised that a junkie could run so fast. Then again, he might not be an ordinary junkie. Someone who dealt MGH was bound to have a few surprises.

The chase ensued for another four city blocks. The narrow roads around Fenway Park soon gave way to congested avenues near the Massachusetts Turnpike. Since it was the middle of the day, there were a fair amount of people on the sidewalks. Both Vargas and Shiro had to shove them aside. Having already shown a willingness to attack a mother and her child, it was a dangerous situation that needed to be stopped.

"I've run in the Boston marathon. You will _not_ escape!" yelled Shiro.

Vargas panted heavily as he heard Shiro catching up. He tried knocking over a few trash cans and pushing over some tables around an outside restaurant to slow him down. It wasn't enough. Shiro just used his fire powers to burn right through it.

He could literally feel the heat gaining on him. His frail body was failing him. His poor physical condition was catching up to him. He was nearing another busy crosswalk where there was no shortage of people he could throw in front of cars. However, Shiro wouldn't allow it. He literally dived out and tackled him to the hard pavement.

"Argh!" exclaimed Vargas as he fell flat on his face, losing a tooth in the process.

"That's enough of that, Mr. Vargas," said Shiro, now holding him by the legs, "You've added reckless endangerment to your list of crimes. Do not add any more."

Vargas groaned as he struggled within Shiro's grip. He looked back and saw the Japanese mutant flash a few menacing flames around his head. He could easily burn him until he cooperated. Vargas was in no condition to endure it so he made another desperate move.

"I didn't want to do this, but once again I'm too weak," he said shamefully.

With Shiro still holding onto his legs, Vargas reached into the pocket in his sweat-jacket and pulled out a small syringe. It was already filled with a reddish fluid. As soon as Shiro saw it, his eyes widened.

"You're…a mutant?" exclaimed Shiro.

"I wish," muttered Vargas.

Closing his eyes, the young man jammed the syringe into his abdomen. Shiro tried to knock it away from him, but it was too late. The drug was in his system. The effect was almost immediate.

His once frail arms bulged with new muscle, indicating a new strength. Vargas seethed as the substance coursed through his system. At the same time, he noticed a fire hydrant to his left. Without hesitation, he slammed his arm right into the side. The metal was quickly warped under the sudden, causing a hole that shot out a high-pressure stream of water that engulfed Shiro and several surrounding civilians.

"Ugh!" grunted Shiro, his flames extinguished by the water.

Being blasted with water caused Shiro to release his grip on Vargas. As soon as he was free, Vargas stumbled back to his feet and ran out into the street. He happened to step right in front of a taxi cab, who promptly slammed on the breaks. Vargas showed his new strength by slamming his fist onto the hood of the car, causing the whole car to shake.

"Holy shit! What's with your arm?' the man exclaimed.

"Get out!" he told the driver.

The driver didn't need to be threatened any further. He quickly stumbled out from the driver's seat and ran as fast as he could across the street. With his muscles still bulging, Vargas got into the driver's seat. Before he took off, he slammed his fist into the dashboard to knock out the cab equipment and GPS. He didn't need anyone tracking him to his next destination.

"I'm coming, my queens. I _will_ atone for this," Vargas proclaimed.

Shiro was just emerging from the still gushing torrent of water when Vargas drove off. The tires screeched as he drove over a curb and out into the main avenue, causing a couple of minor fender benders in the process. Within seconds he was out of sight and there was no chance of catching him. Now soaked and unable to use his fire powers, Shiro could only watch as Vargas escaped.

The civilians around him swarmed around the accidents and the broken fire hydrant. Nearby police officers turned their attention to the cars in the street that had collided in confusion. It was a lot of damage for one junkie to cause. In Shiro's mind, this man wasn't a junkie. He was something much worse.

' _Whoever these mistresses are, they must have quite a hold on him. I wonder if they also gave him that dose of Kick. If he wasn't a mutant, it should have killed him…unless there's something else we're messing.'_

It was a frustrating outcome. This might have been their only lead to Sebastian Shaw and whoever else was involved. They had a name now, but if Vargas was as determined as he seemed then he would not be easy to find. They would need another approach and another stroke of luck.

Shiro groaned and bowed his head in frustration, ignoring the commotion around him from civilians and police. He was about to contact Jean Grey and see how she was doing. Then something on the ground caught his eye. While he was holding onto Vargas, some stuff fell out of his pocket. Among them was a fancy-looking business card with a distinct logo on the cover. When he picked it up and read the name on it, his frustration turned to intrigue.

' _Shiro! Are you there? The lady and her baby are safe, although the driver of the car is pissed. What's happening on your end? Did you catch Vargas?'_

Jean Grey's urgent thoughts echoed loudly in his mind. However, Shiro barely heard them. He was too fixated on the card he not held in his hand.

' _Shiro? Please don't be hurt or something!'_

' _I'm fine Jean,'_ he replied through his mind, _'Vargas got away. He proved more cunning than expected.'_

' _Damn it! He was our only lead. There may still be time to track him! I can call the Professor and he can get the MSA to…'_

' _That might not be necessary, Jean. Vargas has already provided us with another tantalizing clue.'_

' _What do you mean?'_

Shiro was silent for a moment. This mystery surrounding MGH kept taking unexpected turns. With each revelation, the threat it posed grew more terrifying.

' _Tell me, Jean…does the name Wynegarde mean anything to you?'_

* * *

 **New York City – Hellfire Club**

Sebastian Shaw understood the power of vice more than most. He was never afraid to use it. He was equally unafraid of indulging in it. Yet to him, the greatest vice of all was power. The ability to control himself and those around him was the most addictive, intoxicating pleasure imaginable.

His love of vice was what made him so comfortable in places like the Hellfire Club. As one of the most exclusive strip clubs in New York City, he spent more than his share of time indulging in simpler vices. Walking through the opulent layout, he crossed the paths of many beautiful women. Some of these women he knew very well. Others he would eventually know. The men they catered to were rich and powerful in their own right. Looking around he saw politicians, bankers, and businessmen engrossed in the beautiful woman that enticed them with their bodies.

On most days, he would set up a private area for himself and have the women compete for his affections. However, today was different. His visit was all business. The pleasure would come later. As he walked past the stages and towards the VIP area, one of the scantily dressed women approached him.

"You're a bit early, Mr. Shaw," she said to him.

"I'm in a _proactive_ mood. Is she occupied at the moment?" Shaw asked her.

"For you, she's always willing to make time."

Shaw grinned at her remark. The woman gestured towards the VIP area. One of the bouncers nodded and unlocked it. Shaw silently entered, leaving the rest of the men behind to settle for simpler vices. Rich or not, they could never understand true power.

Once he was in the room, Shaw made his way to the back wall that was covered by a mirror. He reached over to a statue of a naked woman and pulled on her arm. That caused a section of the wall to open, revealing a hidden elevator. After placing his hand on a special palm-scanning device, the doors opened.

Once inside, he entered in a code that prompted the elevator to descend five floors below the surface. Upon reaching the appropriate level, the doors opened to reveal a scene that made the floors above him look like child's play.

"I never get tired of this sight," he said to himself.

It was a dirty secret beneath another dirty secret. An entire floor that was nearly three times the size of the Hellfire Club above them was dedicated to a very special kind of vice.

This area was much more open. There were no private booths or flashy stages. The whole floor was like a large dance floor surrounded by rows of beds. Music was playing along with flashing lights, making for a vibrant rave-like environment. The central area was crowded with people. They weren't strippers or men of great wealth. They were ordinary people who gave into a temptation too great to escape.

Walking through the dancing crowd, Shaw noted the vacant gazes on every face. Many were dressed in scant attire. Some were fully nude. They were moving as if they were in a daze of complete ecstasy. It was the kind of ecstasy no ordinary drug could induce. It was utterly absolute, as if they had literally ingested pleasure in its purest form. They were complete slaves to it, which always bode well for Shaw's operations.

' _Weak minds, weak bodies, and weak spirits…all ingredients of the perfect pawns. The Inner Circle may be no more, but I am still Black King. That oaf of a son had no vision. He could never see an opportunity, let alone make the most of it. He had all the resources I had yet he never cherished the most valuable of them all…control.'_

Upon making his way through the dancing crowds, Shaw emerged at an area in the north end of the room. It was a special area for which only the privileged could venture. It was surrounded by large red pillows that created large bed-like areas where the more attractive patrons, male and female, could dance on their own. Most were naked. Some were even making love. All bore the same euphoric daze. The source of that daze came directly from two beautiful women sitting in a special bed at the center of it all.

As Shaw approached, he saw the two women grasping the head of a young man. One was an attractive blond no older than 19-years-old. The other was about six years older, bearing dark hair with blond streaks. They each wore attire reminiscent of the Black Queen. One was purple and the other was green. As for the man who was in nothing but a pair of faded jeans, it looked as though he was drinking from the fountain of pleasure itself.

"Ohhhhhhhh my queens!" the man cried out.

"That's right. We're your queens," said the blond.

"And don't you forget it!" said the other, "Serve us, and the pleasure we give you will never end."

The blissful daze fell over the man and he passed out. He fell limply in front of the two women, a content smile never leaving his face. It was a humorous scene if not somewhat pathetic. Shaw only shook his head in bemusement as he addressed the two women.

"Regan and Martinique Wyngarde," he greeted, "You exploit your natural talents in a way few others can."

"Nice to see you too, your majesty," said Martinique, "It's always a pleasure to be in your presence."

"And we know pleasure!" joked Regan.

"I hope you won't change your mind when I deliver some bad news," said Shaw, "I just received word that one of your loyal pawns caused a scene in Boston. And by _somewhat_ , I mean he may have tipped off the X-men."

"Ah yes, you must be talking about Vargas," said Regan, "We're aware of his failure. I assure you, he will be punished for his failure."

"I would expect nothing less," said Shaw, "I understand he even used that prototype sample I gave him."

"It was necessary," said Martinique, "We gave it to him because we've heard the Brotherhood has been snooping around for MGH. It's his own fault for making it necessary."

"That sample will likely punish him more than he deserves. However, it leaves me skeptical about the efficiency of your pawns. I've been relying on them to distribute Kick to every possible mutant community. However, I'm not getting the results I require."

"If you can find a better system than our loyal pawns, you're welcome to try," quipped Regan, "I doubt you'll find any whose loyalty can be bought with a steady dose of telepathy-induced ecstasy."

"You may be right, but don't forget that I make that ecstasy possible," Shaw reminded them, "You may have your grandfather's knowledge, but I give you the ability to exploit it."

Regan and Martinique took Shaw's veiled threat only somewhat seriously. He was correct. Their powers were dependent on Shaw. Before they met him, their abilities were limited. They were moderate telepaths that could cast moderate illusions, but MGH enhanced their abilities were taken to a whole new level. It was a level that allowed them to take the knowledge their grandfather taught them and put it to good use.

While they enjoyed having their own cult of pleasure-addicted followers, they also understood that Shaw needed their services as well. He needed allies and manpower. In a world where the X-men were working with the MSA, it wasn't as easy to bribe people anymore. He had to get creative with his latest operation.

"I'll skip the rest of my subtle threats. Thanks to Mr. Vargas, we'll have to step up our timetables," said Shaw, "My people are nearing a major breakthrough. The next generation of MGH is almost ready."

"Sounds like fun," grinned Regan.

"Does this mean what we think it means?" asked Martinique.

"That goes without saying," he said with a sinister grin, "I've got a fresh batch of mutants coming in from District X. This should be the last so that means you and your followers will have to move to our primary staging area."

"Not a problem. I was getting tired of New York anyways," sighed Regan.

"I think you'll be much more comfortable when you see what I've developed. Your grandfather was a smart man, but he never realized one important fact. The only thing more effective than understanding power is controlling who gets it."

* * *

 **Up next: Drug Wars**


	7. Issue 155: Drug War Part 1

**Issue #155  
Drug War Part 1**

* * *

 _Professor Charles Xavier formed the X-men to forge peace between humans and mutants. These threats have come in many forms. Some have been mutants like Magneto, driven by anger and bloodlust. Others have been humans like Graydon Creed, driven by hatred and greed. Now the X-men face a very different threat. It comes in the form of a small, reddish liquid called Mutant Growth Hormone, better known as Kick._

 _It came as a result of a growing divide within the mutant world. When Professor Xavier launched his Mutant Monitoring Initiative, a number of mutants grew concerned that they were losing control over their lives and the X-men were helping in that effort. Taking advantage of this situation, Sebastian Shaw enticed fearful mutants with lucrative jobs and a means of evading detection._

 _For months, he seemed to help mutants live their lives free of scrutiny. In reality, he was using them to develop Mutant Growth Hormone, a drug capable of enhancing the abilities of any mutant. With help from the granddaughters of Jason Wyngarde, Sebastian Shaw has distributed samples of MGH to mutants everywhere._

 _It already caused a major incident in Boston. Others like it could threaten the fragile peace that the X-men and the MSA struggle to maintain. Having had their share of missteps in recent times, the X-men must stop this threat before it escalates. To do so, they'll have to overcome some lingering issues that strike at the very heart of the X-men._

* * *

 **Pentagon – Two Days Ago**

Captain Jack Freeman was used to people not taking him seriously. He was a former lowlife who sold drugs for a living. Most of his limited credibility was essentially borrowed from General Grimshaw. At times, he didn't make it easy for him, even with his mutant powers. His attitude, along with his less-than-charming personality, made it difficult for him to take charge. So it came as no surprise when his leadership efforts in Scranton failed. With the stakes this high, such failure was unacceptable.

Since that incident, Captain Freeman kept a low profile. He continued training with the X-men, but Professor Xavier and General Grimshaw didn't send him out on another operation. However, it was only a matter of time before they needed to confront another threat. So when General Grimshaw called Captain Freeman for a private meeting, the Green Beret assumed the worst.

"What's the situation, sir? How bad is it?" asked Captain Freeman upon entering the General's office.

"Slow down, Captain. There's no situation. Not yet anyways," said General Grimshaw from behind his desk.

"Are you sure? Usually when I get a call after ten, it means something is about to blow up," he replied.

"Don't tempt karma. It always has a way of screwing you over. Before it does, I thought I'd pull you aside for a little chat."

"If it involves the fallout from the Scranton incident, can we make it quick? I've already received enough lashings for that and my ass still hasn't healed."

"This isn't about that. Not _completely_ anyways. This is about you, Captain. Or more accurately, it's about the role you're bound to play."

General Grimshaw got up from his seat and walked around to address the mutant soldier more directly. He didn't carry himself with his usual demeanor. He didn't look at Jack Freeman as his subordinate. He looked at him as a concerned father looked at a son. Having never known his real father, it put Jack in an awkward position.

"Captain, I know you're a creature of habit," the General told him, "Usually when change comes along, you have to be dragged into it kicking, cussing, and screaming. You didn't want to be associated with mutants when you became a soldier. You didn't want to work with the X-men when I formed the MSA. You didn't even want to take a side in the Mutant Monitoring Initiative.

"I know my limits, sir. I'm not smart enough to assess the bigger issues," said Captain Freeman.

"You're smarter than you give yourself credit for. I don't care what your IQ test says," retorted Grimshaw, "To your credit, you've done your part. You've obeyed every order, even if it means putting yourself in an uncomfortable position."

"You're about to bring up Scranton, aren't you?"

"It's still a relevant issue. That was your chance to prove that you were more than just blunt instrument. I gave you a chance to step up and lead. I wouldn't have given it to you if I didn't think you were capable of handling it."

"Sorry I disappointed you," sighed Captain Freeman.

"You didn't disappoint, Captain. You _underperformed_ ," said the General, "You had the opportunity, but you didn't use it. You weren't willing to take that extra step and trust that skewed judgment of yours. Now I'm not going to give you a lesson in self-confidence. I'm just going to say that you can do better and, for all our sake, you're gonna _have_ to."

Captain Freeman held his head low for a moment. There was disappointment in General Grimshaw's tone, but there was also encouragement. He always seemed to believe that he was more capable than he thought. The Green Beret never liked letting his superior officer down. Sometimes he didn't have a choice. Yet it sounded like General Grimshaw was giving him one, even if he hadn't earned it.

"Captain, we both agree that Scranton was unacceptable. I think we can also agree that we need to make some changes before the next major crisis," said General Grimshaw.

"I won't argue that, sir. But what kind of changes are we talking about?" asked Captain Freeman warily.

"I never said that I was going to make them. These are changes _you_ have to make," said Captain Freeman, "We've got another problem brewing with this MGH crap. I have a feeling that at some point, the X-men will have to step in. And I still want you to lead them."

"Again? After what happened last time?" said the Green Beret in bewilderment.

"That was last time. Mistakes were made. I trust that you learned from them. Now I'm encouraging you to take something from that and do better. Prove to me that you can be the leader I know you can be. But more importantly, prove it to the X-men. Show them that you're willing to do what's necessary to earn their trust."

"How do I even _begin_ to go about that?"

"Nothing has blown up yet. You have time to figure it out. Consider that your next mission. I'm confident that you'll do what you do best and adapt as needed. Dismissed."

With a confident poise, General Grimshaw saluted his loyal subordinate. Captain Freeman instinctively did the same, regardless of his uncertainties.

The General didn't stick around to give specifics. He left his office and Captain Freeman behind. This new mission would be daunting. However, he didn't intend to let General Grimshaw down. He had to think of a way to earn the trust of the X-men and he had to think of it fast. If MGH was as bad as everyone claimed, then another Scranton-like incident would be the least of their worries.

 **Xavier Institute – Present**

"Alright Jack, let's get this over with," said a restless Betsy Braddock, "We're here, we're in uniform, and we're trying not to make a big deal out of this randomly announced training sessions."

"Speak for yourself, Bets," muttered Rogue with a tired yawn.

"I hope this doesn't imply that something hasn't gone horribly wrong," said Ororo.

"Not yet, Ororo. Although you never know in this business," said Captain Freeman, "Try and relax. I think you'll like this."

"Remy will believe that when crocs go vegan," said Remy.

The bitterness surrounding the Scranton affair still hadn't worn off. Remy, Ororo, Rogue, Betsy, and Piotr had plenty of reasons to resent the mutant soldier. Captain Freeman certainly couldn't blame them. They had been training together since the incident, but lingering animosity was hard to overcome. General Grimshaw wanted him to do more and this was his way of delivering.

Everything was set up in the Danger Room. No scenario was running. Hank and Jean were supposed to be present, but they were caught up in other affairs. Hank had been visiting District X and Jean was still in Boston for reasons she didn't disclose. Rogue returned the previous night saying they had some promising new leads on Sebastian Shaw. This meant the team could be called into action at any moment. It gave Jack all the more reason to get this out of the way.

"I know you guys are cynical when it comes to my brand of training. I can't say I blame you. I haven't given you a lot of reasons to enjoy my company," he said as he started pacing in front of the five X-men.

"That's an unusually polite way of putting it," said Betsy dryly.

"We understand our situation, comrade Freeman. Please understand that we are trying our best," said Piotr in a friendlier tone.

"I don't doubt that you are. But your best isn't enough," said Jack, "Now before you roll your eyes, I'll come out and take the blame. General Grimshaw tasked me with being your field leader and I think it's safe to say that I've done a pretty lousy job so far."

"That be a surefire bet if ever there was one," commented Remy.

"Which is why I propose a different kind of training today," he said as he stopped pacing, "I understand now that to get the job done, I need more than my authority as a Captain and a Green Beret. More than anything else, I need your respect. And I'm willing to do whatever it takes to earn it."

The X-men grew more curious. They watched as Jack paused for a moment and removed part of his uniform. He took off his distinct Green Beret hat and removed the top part of his uniform. He casually threw it aside so that he stood before the X-men looking less like a soldier and more like a low-level grunt. He then cracked his neck a bit and took a deep breath before addressing them again.

"Today's exercise in teamwork is simple. You guys are going to strike me with everything you've got," he told them.

"Excuse meh? What do you mean by _strike_ you?" said Rogue in confusion.

"I mean exactly what I said," replied the Green Beret, "I want you guys to hit me with everything you've got. Use your powers. Use your fists. Don't worry about hurting me. I can take it. My body can adapt."

"And the point of this is…" said Ororo, still confused.

"It's my way of showing you the kind of punishment I'm willing to take for the mission. I'm a soldier. You guys are X-men. There is a difference between us. I'm prepared to make those extra sacrifices because as a soldier and your field leader, the responsibility falls on _my_ shoulders. So with that in mind, let me prove to you how far I'm willing to go. Strike me. Let me show you what I'm willing to endure."

Rogue, Remy, Ororo, Betsy, and Piotr looked at this man strangely. He sounded dead serious. It sounded like an utterly ridiculous way to show leadership and earn trust. Yet on some twisted level, it said a lot about this man.

He wasn't just willing to bark orders and expect the X-men to fall in line. He was serious about working with them and earning their trust as a field leader. Once again, they were hesitant to follow his orders, but for entirely new reasons.

"Okay, anyone else wanna list the many ways this is fucked up?" said Rogue.

"I'm not even going to try," muttered Betsy, shaking her head in bemusement.

"Captain, I think we should talk about this," said Ororo.

"There's nothing to talk about," said Captain Freeman, "You guys heard my proposal. Hit me."

The five X-men exchanged glances, still not sure what to make of this. The only one who didn't seem inclined to debate was Piotr. He studied the Green Beret's face for a moment. It was not unlike the face of the men from Spetsnaz that trained him. It was tough, determined, and strong. In his eyes, that was as reasonable as it needed to be.

"If that is your order, Captain…so be it," said Piotr as he shifted into his metal skin.

Then to the shock of the others, the Russian mutant stepped forth and laid out the Green Beret with a right cross that could have decapitated a sentinel. It struck Captain Freeman right on the jaw, sending him tumbling to the floor a good ten feet.

"Whoa! Seriously homme?" exclaimed Remy in disbelief.

"Peter, was that really necessary?" said Ororo with a harsh scold.

"He gave an order. I obeyed," said Piotr unapologetically.

"That doesn't make it any less foolish!" yelled Betsy.

While the others were chastising Piotr, Captain Freeman picked himself up from the floor. The Russian hit pretty hard, but he adapted his body just enough to take it. Even though it hurt like hell, it was still a good start.

"Ease up on him, guys. He did good," said Captain Freeman, his voice slightly slurred from the blow.

"Captain, are you…" began Ororo as she rushed over towards him.

"Don't come to my aid. I told you guys, I can take it!" he said in a more determined tone, "Follow Peter's example. Take your best shot!"

"And if it doesn't work?" said Rogue with a raised eyebrow.

"You still get to kick my ass. Just think of it as bonus," shrugged the Green Beret.

Rogue, Remy, Ororo, and Betsy exchanged glances again. Captain Freeman wasn't going to change his mind. For reasons that only made a partial bit of sense, he was prepared to let them vent their frustrations out on him. Rather than argue with him any further, they set aside their reservations and prepared their attack.

"Well, he _did_ say he could take it," shrugged Remy.

"For the record, it's still bullocks," said Betsy.

"Could be worse," said Rogue as she clenched her firsts, "If this is our training for the morning, so be it."

Rogue flew out ahead of Remy, Betsy, and Ororo at full speed. Narrowing her gaze on the mutant soldier, she struck him head on just as Colossus had. She hit him like a flying ram, striking him right in the chest. Captain Freeman braced himself and grunted as he took the blow. He wasn't sent flying across the room this time. He just took it and all the discomfort that came with it. His body now adapted to that of a slab of iron, he prepared for more punishment.

Since Rogue set the tone, the others followed. Remy and Betsy were next. Betsy struck at him hard with two psionic blades, cutting him across the chest and face. She even stabbed into his leg at one point. Remy soon followed with a fresh deck of cards and a full-blown bombardment. He charged them so each card exploded around him, engulfing the mutant soldier in a series of penetrating shockwaves.

This caused him to fall to his knees. That was when Piotr came in and slugged him again with an uppercut. The pain was apparent, but the wounds were superficial thanks to his durable form.

"Ungh! Fuck, that sings!" grunted Captain Freeman.

"Perhaps we should stop?" suggested Piotr.

"Listen to him, Captain! You're taking this too far!" said Ororo.

"Hell no! Come on, X-men! Picture that kid in Scranton if you have to! Let me show you I can handle it!" urged Captain Freeman.

Ororo remained the most reluctant, but hearing that burning intent in his tone was hard to argue with. He was like a warrior trying to prove his worth. Even though it made her very uncomfortable, she summoned a series of clouds above them. From these clouds, she unleashed a barrage of lighting that struck the mutant soldier head on. Even with his durable form, it left a punishing sting. Yet Captain Freeman endured it.

For the next five minutes or so, he took more punishment. He took everything Piotr, Betsy, Rogue, Remy, and Ororo could throw at him. He took psionic blades, lighting, hail stones, bow staffs to the groin, and any number of super-powered punches. It got to a point where the five X-men began feeling uncomfortable, striking their field leader like this.

Even though he kept urging them to do so, a certain level of guilt did emerge. Perhaps that was the point. Perhaps feeling this sort of thing was a way to show that this man mattered to them as a leader. At one point, they started to slow down. After Rogue decked him in a way that sent him flying ten feet into the air, they had to stop.

"Alright, that was fun and all, but this is goin' too far," said Rogue, now rubbing her fist.

"No! Keep going," grunted Captain Freeman, who looked like he just walked through a mine-field.

"Enough with the macho gimmick already," said Remy, "There be playing tough and playing stupid. Right now, you flirtin' with both!"

"I'm your field leader! We keep going…until I tell you to stop," he said, "Trust me. I'll let you know when it goes too far."

It was a dangerous kind of trust he was playing with. The five X-men exchanged glances. At this point, Ororo could barely keep the clouds above them formed. The idea of punishing this man any further just didn't feel right. Yet he wanted them to keep going. Since he was their leader, they were supposed to oblige.

"I don't know what's gotten into you, but it's starting to creep me out," said Betsy.

"He told us to trust him," Piotr pointed out, "Why not give him a chance?"

Betsy shook her head as she formed a new psionic blade to attack. Rogue, Remy, and Ororo prepared as well. They were about to lay into the mutant soldier with another round of fury. Before they could reach him this time, a wall of telekinesis stopped them cold in their tracks. The X-men hadn't noticed that the side entrance to the Danger Room had opened, allowing Jean and Hank to enter on this bizarre training routine.

"Uh…good morning, Jean," said Piotr sheepishly.

"Do I even want to know what's going on here?" said Jean in an exasperated tone.

"Would you believe us if we told you he _ordered_ us to attack him?" said Rogue.

"She's telling the truth," said Captain Freeman, looking ragged from the attacks, "It was…part of a little teambuilding exercise."

"How does ordering an attack on yourself qualify as teambuilding?" questioned Hank.

"Would you believe us if we said it worked?" said Remy with an innocent shrug.

Jean and Hank stared at their teammates oddly. Then they looked over towards Jack. His skin was charred from lightning strikes and wounded from punishing blows. His pants were so damaged that they were almost non-existent from the knees down. He even lost one of his boots in the process. He looked oddly serious when he said that it was a legitimate exercise. It led them to believe that it was crazy enough to be true.

"Guess that answers my question. I _don't_ want to know," said Jean.

"Lucky for us, we come bearing an important matter that supersedes training of any kind," said Hank, "It involves the unfolding crisis with Mutant Growth Hormone."

"Oh I'm sure _this_ will be equally disturbing," said Betsy.

"What happened? Did you and Sunfire actually find something?" asked Rogue.

"Oh yes. We found plenty," said Jean ominously, "It involves Sebastian Shaw, District X, innocent mutants, strip clubs, drug addicts, and Jason Wyngarde's granddaughters."

"Dang, that sounds like a horror movie or a bad porno," commented Remy.

"The details are a bit less fanciful," said Hank, "However, after some digging with this Mr. Vargas, whom Jean and Shiro had the pleasure of meeting, we think we know where MGH is coming from."

"I take it this means Professor Xavier wants us to act, yes?" said Piotr.

"He's already prepping the X-jet," said Jean, "The Professor has a full briefing package on board. We'll fill you in on all the logistics once we're en route."

"Do we have a battle plan this time? It sounds like another incident that will require the full team," said Captain Freeman.

"That's still being developed, but believe it or not, time is on our side," said Jean.

" _There's_ a first," commented Rogue.

"I'll take it," said the Green Beret, "It means we have a better chance at avoiding another Scranton fiasco."

It sounded promising. For once the X-men were confronting a threat before it blew up in their face. Armed with the lessons learned from Scranton and their unorthodox training session, they were better equipped to handle another major threat.

This time, however, the team had to avoid bickering and fight together. It was the only way they stood a chance against a man like Sebastian Shaw.

"Follow us," said Hank as he and Jean led the team out of the Danger Room, "We need to prepare ourselves for a very strenuous mission."

"Do I have time to get a new pair of pants?" asked Captain Freeman.

"You want to say that out loud again, luv?" teased Betsy.

"I just let you beat me up. The least you can do is spare me the juvenile sense of humor," retorted the Green Beret.

"Pack a sleeping bag and sunscreen while you're at it," added Hank, "Our mission has already begun. If recent indicators turn out to be accurate, this looks like on mission that will require a fair amount of overtime and an even greater amount of risk."

* * *

 **Southern Mexico**

Throughout her life, Jubilation Lee had willingly put herself in many uncomfortable positions. It came with her adventurous personality. It helped her survive the many unlucky breaks in her life. It also helped her being such a valued enforcer in District X. Yet few positions had ever been as risky as this.

"How much longer? Our overgrown pet here just peed himself again," groaned an uncomfortable mutant girl with pale skin and hair with pinkish streaks.

"Go easy on Teon, Laurie," coaxed a 14-year-old African with puffy hair and oddly colored eyes, "He's not trying to gross you out. I think he's marking his territory or something."

"It's still disgusting," said Laurie, "I hope Mr. Shaw can potty train him. That way you don't have to keep playing keeper, Idie."

"Fight?" said Teon, a tall Ukrainian boy with a muscular demeanor.

"No Teon. No fight," said Idie, who petted Teon's head as if he were a dog.

"Mate?" he said.

"I don't think that would be appropriate," she said humored grin.

"Is that really all he can say?" said a young Mexican boy who was sitting next to Laurie, "Fight, flight, or mate? Or is he just being the most honest teenage boy in history?"

"He's pure instinct, Gabriel. There's nothing honest about it," said Laurie, "And if you don't stop looking down my dress, he won't be the most insufferable brute on this bus."

Gabriel shrugged innocently and grinned. He clearly wasn't as uncomfortable as the others. This was his home country after all. That didn't make being stuffed into a white bus for three hours any less stressful. There were only six mutants present, including Jubilee. They had reason enough to be anxious, but for Jubilee the stakes were higher.

It started back in District X. She told one of Sebastian Shaw's representatives that she was ready to take the plunge. She had enough of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative and was ready to slip under the radar. What followed next was an elaborate procedure meant to prevent anyone from tracking Sebastian Shaw directly.

The man covered his tracks well. She had been blindfolded three times, gone on two chartered flights, and connected with five other mutants in the process. Now they were on a bus driving down an unoccupied road that wound around several old farms. It seemed a bit excessive, but it was all part of the deal. Jubilee kept reminding herself of that as she remembered her mission.

"You don't seem as uncomfortable as the rest of us," said a cloaked figure sitting across from Jubilee, "That or something else entirely is bothering you."

"What makes you say that? You a therapist or something?" said Jubilee as she gazed out the window.

"I'm an artist actually. Art has a way of honing one's perspective," said the figure in a raspy voice.

"That would sound so much less creepy if you didn't insist on wearing that hoodie, Kenji," said Laurie from a few seats up.

"Cut the guy some slack, Laurie. It's actually nice to know that someone is polite enough to give a damn," said Jubilee.

"I'm not trying to be mean. I'm just saying that people scream when they see me too. We're here to find a way to deal with it, aren't we? I was expelled from school and blackmailed into leaving my own home," said Laurie.

"You think your problems are bad, Laurie?" quipped Kenji, "If you've looked in the mirror as much as I have, then you know appearance is hardly our fifth worst problem."

Kenji finally pulled back the hoodie on his sweatshirt, revealing a partially deformed face. His Japanese complexion was mired with bizarre veins and grayish streaks that ran down nearly half his face. It was one of the more exotic mutations that anyone had ever come across. Laurie, Gabriel, and Idie tensed at the sight. Even Teon looked spooked as Kenji stared at his fellow mutants stoically.

"Flight?" said Teon with a whimper.

"No Teon. There's no need to run," said Idie as she looked away, "Just pray for him. Pray for all of us."

"I don't care for prayers. I care only about building a new life while trying to forget my old life," said Kenji as he put his hoodie back on, "We all went along with this for something more precious than our talents or our pride. We all want a second chance and right now, Mr. Shaw is the only one who can give us one."

"Doesn't that bother you, though?" questioned Jubilee, "That you're relying on this guy you don't even know to deliver?"

"What choice to we have?" said Gabriel, trying hard not to stare at Kenji anymore, "Since the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, our chances have been _limited_."

"All the more reason _not_ to screw this up," said Laurie.

Jubilee was left feeling even more uncomfortable than before and it had nothing to do with Kenji's deformed. These five mutants were desperate. They had all had their lives screwed up by their mutant powers and screwed up even more by the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. They each had a rough story to tell. Jubilee had been listening to them share along the way, trying not to feel too sorry for them since she was working undercover.

' _Keep it together, Jubes. You'll have to channel your inner sociopath and not feel guilt for what you're doing. These guys don't know the kind of bastard Shaw may be, but they're placing a lot of faith in him. Laurie and Gabriel actually had a decent life before they became mutants. Laurie was an honor student in Canada. Gabriel went to prep school in Mexico City. Then, their powers manifest and suddenly, everything goes downhill. Laurie is blackmailed by a mutant-hating principal. Gabriel's parents try to send him to a missionary in Columbia. He chose to run away to District X instead. I'll bet the celibacy part didn't help either.'_

Jubilee looked over towards Gabriel and Laurie. She noticed Gabriel was still trying to look down her dress. It spoke volumes about the kind of man he was. She wanted to laugh, but their circumstances were too tragic. Yet she considered them the lucky ones. Looking towards Idie and Kenji, she saw plenty of pain and sorrow in their eyes.

' _Gabriel's parents probably would have gotten along great with Idie's. They thought Idie was a witch when her powers manifested and tried to burn her. Instead, she ended up burning down half her village. She was brought over by Isaac and Father Hansen with the Church of Humanity. I thought she was happy studying theology with Isaac. Guess I was wrong. I'll bet Kenji could have used Isaac's influence even more. Near as I can tell, he was messed up before he became a mutant. This kid was a world class art prodigy in Japan. Then his powers manifest, his father ends up dead, and Japan's wing of the MSA wants his head. The strange thing is I'm not sure if he feels much guilt for his father's death. There's probably a story there that I'd rather not know.'_

Jubilee tried looking down at her feet to avoid eye-contact with the other mutants. As she did, she noticed Teon on the floor sniffing her feet. When he looked up at her with confused eyes, Jubilee smiled. Even though Teon had an imposing stature, he wasn't too threatening. He was like a stray dog and in some way, he was the luckiest among them.

' _If only we could all live in Teon's blissful world. He doesn't have to make these hard choices. He's probably just following Idie. She did sort of take him in when he showed up in District X. I remember Tessa telling me about this kid. Back in the Ukraine, he was somewhat of a nerd. Then he became a full-blown animal and his parents tried to have him lobotomized. He escaped, hopped a plane, and landed in Africa where he crossed paths with Idie. Near as I can tell, he's all instinct. He caused quite a problem with the Church of Humanity, but Idie always vouched for him. Too bad his people back home still want him lobotomized. Not sure how much that affected him, but Idie wants him by her side and he's not inclined to leave it.'_

Teon lingered around Jubilee's feet a bit longer. At one point, he reached for her sunglasses and put them on. At this point, Idie waved him down. He was getting a bit too _friendly_ in her eyes.

"Give them back, Teon," she said with a light scold.

"Fight?" was all Teon said in response.

"No. Remember what I told you about thou shalt not steal?"

Teon whimpered a bit as if to show remorse. Then he put the sunglasses back on Jubilee's head before returning to Idie's side. Jubilee couldn't help but green even as Idie expressed remorse.

"I apologize for that. He's…curious at times," said Idie.

"Don't worry about it. He's only _slightly_ more ill-mannered than my ex-boyfriend," said Jubilee, giving Teon a playful look.

"Friend?" said Teon.

"If those are the kinds of guys you're into, no wonder he likes you," said Laurie, rolling her eyes.

Jubilee laughed again. She wished she hadn't though. She was getting a bit too friendly with these mutants. That was a dangerous position to be in. She put her whole mission in jeopardy.

' _So much for keeping it together. These guys have all had the kind of rotten luck. They think Shaw will give them a better life. I'm here to undermine him because we know he's behind that MGH crap. It's not like I can have second thoughts. Tessa had me swallow this special transmission beacon before I left District X. For all I know, it's beaming my location to the X-men and the MSA. I just hope that when shit starts exploding, these guys aren't caught in the crossfire.'_

Jubilee turned back towards the passing view outside. The desolate countryside finally started showing signs of civilization. They just entered what appeared to be a large plantation of sorts. It was entirely walled off, guarded by what looked like Mexican soldiers.

When the bus approached, the driver who hadn't said a word to them since they got on signaled something through a radio. The soldiers simply nodded and opened the gates for the bus.

Passing through the gates, it was like entering another universe. Jubilee and the five young mutants found themselves in an opulent villa. The landscaping alone bore the markings of a very rich and powerful man, but it was the mansion itself that had them all in awe.

It stood a good four stories high and looked big enough to be its own neighborhood. It had a large fountain in the front and two smaller fountains on the side. They were part of a large circular driveway, which was manned by armed men who looked nothing like Mexican soldiers. As the bus approached, the true impact of their decision started sinking in.

"Wow…I didn't know they made houses this big in Mexico!" exclaimed Gabriel.

"I didn't know they made houses this big _period_!" said Laurie.

"It seems…excessive," said Idie.

"House?" said Teon.

"That would be a profound insult to such an architectural marvel," said Kenji.

While the five mutants admired the structure, Jubilee swallowed a touch of nervousness. If Sebastian Shaw was able to live in a place like this yet still evade people like Tessa and the X-men, then he was more resourceful than they thought. She maintained a confident poise as the bus pulled up to the front door. Once the doors to the bus opened and they made their way out, they were greeted by Shaw's loyal associate, Warhawk.

"Welcome to the Villa del Fuego," said Warhawk, "Mr. Shaw welcomes you to his humble facility."

"I would say there is nothing humble about it," said Kenji, "The architecture reminds me of Frank Lloyd Wright mixed with a late Victorian layout. Very elaborate and very pricy, I imagine."

"I'd just settle for calling it rich," chuckled Gabriel.

"Mr. Shaw feels it's important to present a powerful image," explained Warhawk, "As beings of powers ourselves, it's only fitting that we carry ourselves as such."

"Sounds a little egotistical," commented Jubilee.

"Hey! We're guests here," scolded Laurie, "Don't make light of his hospitality."

"Indeed," said Idie in a daze, "I doubt we'll ever enjoy it again."

"I wouldn't presume too much," said Warhawk, "Once you see what Mr. Shaw can do for talented mutants like yourself, you'll have every opportunity to experience the finer pleasures of life."

"Mate?" said Teon.

"Not sure if that's his way of voicing his approval, but I think he likes it," grinned Gabriel.

The five mutants were understandably excited. They were being welcomed into this rich, secure world after having endured such rotten luck in their previous lives. Jubilee certainly couldn't blame them for being enthusiastic. She struggled to keep up with them as they followed Warhawk to the front doors of the massive facility. Once inside, the real danger of this mission could begin.

"You'll have plenty of time to enjoy the sights later," said Warhawk as he opened the main doors, "The six of you have arrived at a very exciting time. Mr. Shaw's efforts to break the chains that bind mutants like yourselves has enjoyed moderate success. Now he plans on taking a much bolder step. With Mr. Shaw's resources, you'll become the shining lights of a new generation of mutants!"

* * *

 **Meanwhile**

The harsh tropical sun and miles of rugged terrain were a solid deterrent for most would-be intruders to Sebastian Shaw's compound. For X-Force, it provided a telling clue as to the extent of Shaw's operations.

After the Legacy Virus and the death of Shanobi Shaw devastated his company, it looked as though the former Black King would be limited in his ability to cause trouble. They clearly underestimated him. If this opulent villa was any indication, he was more cunning then they expected.

X-Force had been tracking Jubilee since she left District X. Thanks to the information provided by Isaac, they were able to follow her. It had been tedious at times. Unlike the X-men, they didn't have the luxury of the MSA picking up the slack. Now that Jubilee had led them to their destination, the next part of the mission could begin. Scott, Logan, Domino, Emma, Kurt, Warren, and James watched the bus enter the estate from atop a large hill in the distance. From here, they could see what they were up against.

"That is a damn nice base for an elaborate drug operation," commented Domino as she scoped out the landscape through a pair of binoculars.

"It's not the biggest I've seen, but it's close," said Emma, "I'm sure Miss Lee will be more comfortable inside than we'll be out here."

"Hey, nobody forced you to wear a uniform from a goddamn Playboy shoot," quipped Logan, "For all we know, Shaw can smell the gallon of sunscreen you dumped on yourself from here."

"He may have known before that," said Domino as she maintained her gaze on the compound, "A man doesn't spend _this_ much money protecting himself unless he expects someone to attack him."

"He's Sebastian Shaw. He has a long list of people who want him slowly tortured to death," said Warren.

"And I'm near the top of that list," said Emma.

"Doesn't mean I'm wrong," she quipped, "We've been following his people since District X. And yet at no point did _anyone_ try to stop us. Not to underestimate our stealth capabilities, but it may indicate that he _wants_ us to attack him."

Domino's assessment sounded a little paranoid, but there were plenty of reasons to take it seriously. Sebastian Shaw was no fool. He went to elaborate lengths to ensure that his enemies couldn't find him. For X-Force to locate him without having to fight anybody was a bit telling.

This wasn't lost on Scott as he mused over this mission. It was already tense with Jubilee in play. As was the case in Scranton, X-Force had to proceed with a very small margin for error.

"Vhat do you zhink, Cyclops?" asked Kurt, "Should ve assume we've lost zhe element of surprise?"

"With Shaw, it's practically a given," said Scott.

"So then why are we still out here?" asked James, "If he knows we're after him, why don't we just teleport in that fancy home of his and beat the answers out of him."

"Ignoring the fact that beating up on Shaw tends to make things worse, we don't know what he'll throw at us," said Scott as he gazed out over the compound, "Jubilee and those other mutants we saw her with could be caught in the crossfire."

"They may not be the only ones, darling," said Emma, "I've been psychically scanning the compound since we arrived. Even though it's as secure as the White House, a few stray thoughts have escaped."

"They Shaw's new hired muscle?" asked Logan, "He's probably on a first-name basis with every shady mercenary group in the western hemisphere."

"It's worse than that, I'm afraid," mused Emma as he clutched her temples, "I think these thoughts are from civilians. And by civilians, I mean runaways, mothers, teenagers, old men, old women, and everyone in between."

"Vhy vould Shaw have people like zhat in his arsenal?" wondered Kurt.

"I'm not sure. But from what I can sense, they're _not_ in a clear state of mind. It's like they're intoxicated or in some sort of painful withdraw. And by painful, I mean it's far worse than Logan when he hasn't had his morning beer."

Logan scowled Emma for her remark. For the rest of the team, it helped highlight just how dangerous this situation was. Taking on an army of Shaw's hired goons was one thing. Taking on civilians that may be under his influence definitely complicated matters. Any attack risked collateral damage that they could not afford.

"If that weren't disturbing enough, I've been detecting psychic traces of a different sort," said Emma.

"What is it this time? Nuclear weapons?" asked James.

"Close," replied the powerful psychic, "More like two other telepaths. How else could Shaw protect himself from my vengeful mind or that Charles Xavier's?"

"Any chance of breaking through to their shielding?" asked Scott.

"I'm just one mind in a fabulously hot body. I could certainly get through with sufficient time and preparation, but I'm assuming those are luxuries we can't afford right now."

Emma Frost never shied away from grim assessments. Scott was inclined to trust her telepathic judgment. She knew Shaw better than the rest of them. She had more reasons than anyone to see him vanquished.

Shaw probably knew that as well. Why else would he hire two telepaths powerful enough to keep someone like Emma Frost or Charles Xavier out? The particulars of this mission continued to escalate. Between Jubilee being in the line of fire and Shaw producing MGH, the potential for an explosive situation was all too apparent.

"So how we gonna do this, Cyke?" asked Logan, "This time even I ain't crazy enough to go in there guns and claws a blazing."

"I'm glad I don't have explain to you why that's a bad idea this time. I think we can all infer that Shaw is ready for a full-blown assault," said the X-Force leader.

"So how can we expect to defeat him?" asked Warren, "Even my father's company lost track of him after the Legacy Virus affair. If we give him too much time, he'll make his move and leave us behind."

"Which is why we need to force him into acting before he's ready," said Scott, "We can't attack him head on, but we can apply pressure."

"What kind of _pressure_ are we talking about?" asked Domino, setting aside her binoculars and picking up her gun.

"I'm talking a classic hit-and-run. Let's harass some of his guards. Short out some of his security. Make him believe he's run out of time and then have him overreact."

"An overreaction from Sebastian Shaw tends to have a high body count," Emma pointed out, "We're playing with fire by forcing Shaw's hand."

"It also utterly ignores how X-men and the MSA may screw everything up," said James, "They're the ones who put Jubilee in the line of fire. They're probably preparing a much larger attack as we speak."

"I haven't forgotten, James. I fully expect the X-men to show up. The best we can do is make sure Shaw makes himself vulnerable before that happens. If they're attack is bigger, then we can use it to our advantage. We can fight around the commotion and get to the heart of Shaw's operations while he's occupied!"

"That's relying on a fair amount of luck, Scott. Even I might not be able to provide it when the time comes," said Domino.

There were clearly mixed feelings about this plan. Scott had to hide his own share of uncertainties as he mused over the details, but at the moment it was their best and only option. Working in the shadows had served X-Force well. As threats like Sebastian Shaw emerged, they may not be as big an advantage anymore. They got lucky in Scranton. They would need to be even luckier against Sebastian Shaw.

"We can't expect everything to fall into place, X-Force. Shaw is a control-freak. He's trying to impose his own rules in this conflict," he said, "We're not the X-men. We're not the MSA. We can't play by those rules. We need to impose our own."

"I thought ve veren't supposed to be outlaws, Scott. How far are you villing to take zhis?" questioned Kurt.

"There are always limits. We'll always have to get uncomfortably close to them, but we won't cross them," said Scott as he took Domino's binoculars and started scanning the villa.

"We better not, bub," growled Logan.

With the conflict now literally in front of them, X-Force prepared to make set off the first round of sparks. They were playing a dangerous game and Shaw currently had all the advantages. Between their role and whatever role the X-men planned to play, the crisis was bound to reveal a few unpleasant surprises.

* * *

 **Mexico City – MSA Base**

"A mission in Mexico and we don't even get to stop by Cancun. So much for finding any bright side in this MGH mess," sighed Rogue as she and the X-men waited restlessly.

"It could be worse. Shaw could have set up shop in in some God-forsaken wasteland in the Middle East or some arctic tundra in Siberia. No offence, Peter," said Betsy.

"None taken," said Piotr, who shared in the overall uncertainty surrounding the mission.

The X-men were clamoring for details on this risky operation with Jubilee. Professor Xavier could hardly blame them. He was anxious for new developments as well.

He joined up with Hank, Jean, Ororo, Rogue, Remy, Betsy, and Tessa from District X after getting word of her plan. Captain Freeman traveled with them in the X-jet while General Grimshaw stayed at the Pentagon. From there, he coordinated with the Mexico division of the MSA to assist with this situation. Against a man like Sebastian Shaw, they would likely require the extra manpower.

The Mexican base for the MSA wasn't as well-equipped as their facilities in Washington, but Tessa provided some additional hardware of her own to do the job. The team arrived quietly upon learning that Jubilee's destination was at a villa in Southern Mexico. They assumed that Shaw had spies in the area and didn't wish to tip him off.

On the lower levels in the most secure wing, Tessa set up a few of her computers so she could track the signal Jubilee was transmitting. The Mexican MSA officers waited outside while they worked out the details. Hank was helping her stay a step ahead of Sebastian Shaw's counter-measures. Despite his elaborate way of bringing mutants into his operation, Jubilee's infiltration had already yielded significant information.

"Locality aside, I believe Shaw has chosen a fitting location," said Professor Charles Xavier as he looked over a print out, "Mexico has been mired with instability since the Legacy Virus caused the ruling party to collapse. Much of their efforts have been dedicated to combat rampant drug-trafficking drugs along the border. By placing his operations deep within the country, he's effectively insulated himself from scrutiny."

"Even from psychic detection?" said Captain Freeman.

"That's a given after finding out the Wyngarde family was involved," said Jean, who was looking over some information of her own.

"Guess Remy was hoping for too much in never wanting to see that ugly homme again," muttered Remy.

"Well if it makes you feel better, we're probably not dealing him directly. We're dealing with his granddaughters. According to the records Tessa hacked, Wyngarde wasn't married to his work on psychic research. He had time for a few mistresses along the way."

"For a bloke that creepy, I can't say I'm surprised," said Betsy, "I'm sure the circumstances are as disturbing any psychic could imagine."

"What about for us non-psychics?" asked Ororo, "What exactly are we dealing with here?"

"I'd rather not get into the dirty details, but apparently Wyngarde sired his share of psychic deviants," said Jean as she flipped through a few random pages, "The latest of which are Regan and Martinique, two imaginative young women that embody everything you love to hate about their grandfather."

Upon finding the page she was looking for, Jean tossed a couple of pictures on the table. The first two depicted two ordinary-looking women, one with light blond hair and another one with dark hair. It looked like it had been taken a few years ago because they looked pretty young. Another couple of pictures seemed more recent and they looked very different. They weren't just older. It looked like they had an extensive amount of plastic surgery, making them look attractive to the point of it being distracting.

"Are those pictures supposed to depict the same women?" asked Piotr in astonishment.

"They look like the before and after photos on those terrible beauty product infomercials," commented Rogue.

"You actually watch those?" teased Betsy.

"I assure you they're the same girls. Those pictures aren't Photoshopped either," said Jean, "You know how Sebastian Shaw is with his women. He likes to mold them into his personal Barbie dolls."

"Remy don't remember Barbie lookin' this good," said Remy as he picked up one of the pictures.

"If you start droolin', you ain't ever seeing meh naked again," scolded Rogue, which was enough to make Remy drop the picture.

"How they look is secondary. What they do is what's vital to this mission," said Professor Xavier as he picked up the picture, "As Jean mentioned, Jason Wyngarde is their grandfather. As a result, they've inherited his abilities. This includes illusions and mid-level telepathy."

"If they were only mid-level, then shouldn't we have been able to detect them?" asked Ororo.

"That's where the details become clouded," Xavier responded, "Shortly before MGH first emerged, Cerebrum did have a record of these two using their powers. They never committed any crimes or got involved in any sordid affairs. Furthermore, I can see no indication that they're grandfather was part of their lives."

"That's assuming they didn't keep secrets," added Hank who wasn't taking his eyes off Tessa's computer screen.

"Which is reason enough to doubt their credibility," said Jean, "Sunfire and I dug further. We found out that in their spare time, they were using their telepathic powers to conduct a shady little business that would surely get Shaw's approval. They were taking ordinary people and using telepathy to induce an addictive high in peoples' minds."

"Wait…since when can telepathy get people high?" asked Piotr.

"And why the heck didn't you share this when we was datin', Betsy?" asked Remy.

"That's it. You're sleeping on the couch tonight," muttered Rogue.

"Relax Remy. We haven't been holding out on you," said Jean, "What Regan and Martinique do is pretty advanced. It would be reckless for any psychic to attempt, unless their okay with causing irreparable brain damage."

"I doubt these two are just _that_ reckless," commented Captain Freeman.

"It goes beyond that, I'm afraid," said Professor Xavier grimly, "What they were doing was small. They could successfully intoxicate weaker minds to a limited point. Then a few months ago, Cerebrum lost track of them. Shortly afterwards, a new addiction started spreading around the Northeast, turning men like Vargas into the worst kind of addicts. Based on what Jean told me, the addiction is a result of the Wyngarde sisters gaining new power. These addicts only started appearing after MGH appeared."

"A coincidence beyond astronomical, if ever there was one," said Hank.

"Coincidences and Sebastian Shaw rarely go together," Xavier went on, "Therefore, we can reasonably conclude that the Wyngarde sisters are a vital part of Shaw's operations. They may actually be the key to understanding what Shaw is trying to do."

The Professor turned towards Tessa, who had been silently focused on tracking Jubilee. Sensing his scrutiny, she brought up a number of images on one of her many computer screens. They depicted the villa that Jubilee had arrived at. The images weren't the best possible quality, but they showed an elaborate facility that Sebastian Shaw was keen on defending. Tessa's focus intensified as she turned around to address the X-men.

"Based on what we've uncovered, Shaw is in the process of centralizing his operation," said Tessa, "He's focusing his entire MGH efforts on this one complex."

"How do you know that?" questioned Captain Freeman.

"Because I know Shaw," she replied, "After an incident like Boston, this is how he does business. He pools his resources together for a final push."

"That works to our advantage, does it not?" said Piotr, "We need only attack one area and end this Kick in one blow."

"If were that simple, I would have encouraged the MSA to nuke everything within a ten-mile radius of the compound," said Tessa.

"I doubt the President would go for it, but if it's really that bad, he still might consider it," said Captain Freeman.

"I wouldn't want him to. After what Jean uncovered about Wyngarde, I hypothesize that Shaw has the Wyngarde sister creating addicts that serve him. This means he has reliable network of human agents with which to deal Kick."

"I suppose that would explain why we never tracked mutants dealing the drug," surmised Ororo, "Using regular humans would allow them to evade Cerebrum."

"Add Shaw's vast resources on top of it and they might as well be invisible. They're just the kind of people he needs. They're loyal, paranoid, and well-compensated thanks to the Wyngarde's sisters' knowledge of the mind. Given the level of addiction that Professor Xavier just described, this network is quite large. It also means he has a vast human shield to hide behind."

Tessa painted a bleak picture, but her tone never changed. She was trying very hard to keep a level demeanor. It was almost too hard because everyone noticed.

"That's the kind of femme Hank dumped you for, Stormy?" said Remy under his breath.

"I doubt she's this _mechanical_ all the time," replied Ororo.

"It actually wouldn't surprise me if she was," added Betsy.

Tessa sensed their remarks and deleted them from her memory banks as if she was a computer cleaning out viruses. She wasn't being nearly as subtle as she needed to be. She couldn't when it involved Sebastian Shaw. Even with Hank's calming presence, the personal stake she had in this crisis couldn't be blocked out.

"Shaw knows we're not sociopaths. He knows we'll hesitate when we see innocent people sick with addiction standing in our way," said Tessa, "That is why our best hope lies with Jubilee."

"You mean the civilian you sent directly into Shaw's fortress?" said Captain Freeman dryly.

"We didn't send her. She volunteered," Hank clarified, "And my love speaks the truth. The information that Jubilee is providing us is vital to stopping Shaw."

Hank took over from here, sensing it was getting too difficult for his lover to suppress her emotions. He brought up the live-video from Jubilee as she was being led into Shaw's villa. As she entered, the screen was consumed with static. Jubilee was playing a very dangerous game with Shaw. Her being the key to this operation didn't sit well with some.

"Why is the signal fading?" asked Ororo anxiously.

"That's to be expected," assured Hank, "Shaw's villa is most certainly robust enough to obscure most electronic equipment. However, the special beacon that she swallowed before she left is still active. She's still capturing everything that is said."

"Sounds like a glorified sting operation," said Betsy, "Any chance Shaw will pick up on it?"

"No. I've made sure of it," said Tessa strongly.

"I hope you're right, Tessa. Because incriminating Shaw is the easy part," said Professor Xavier, "The challenge is locating the source of MGH. If we're right and his operation is centralized within this location, we need only confirm where we need to strike. The President has made clear that we're to destroy this drug outright."

"Not that I disagree with such decisive action, but is that really feasible?" questioned Piotr, "As someone who used to work in the Russian Mafia, I can say with confidence that once a drug is made, it is difficult to unmake."

"Besides, can't a drug that enhances mutant powers do some good?" asked Rogue.

They were both valid questions. Hank and the Professor had to hide the fact that they agreed with them on some levels. This operation was a product of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. It was the government that wanted MGH wiped out. They were not in a position to argue otherwise.

Luckily, they didn't have to argue. Before this briefing could continue, a new round of activity emerged on Tessa's computer screens. The video feed was still shrouded in static. However, the transmitter inside her was still broadcasting. From it, they heard jumbled streams of an ominous voice.

" _Welcome to Villa del Fuego. Please…make yourselves comfortable so we can begin."_

"That's him! That's Sebastian Shaw!" said Tessa, finally showing a burst of emotion, "Jubilee has made contact."

"Don't know why you sound surprised. Ain't this what we've been hoping for?" said Remy.

"It's happening faster than I thought. Shaw is skipping his usual interrogation, which probably means he knows we're onto him," she said grimly as she made a few adjustments on the signal.

"Sounds a little paranoid," commented Rogue.

"And it's probably true," said Jean.

"Then that means we should skip the rest of this boring briefing and get in!" said Betsy.

"Agreed," said Professor Xavier, "I've already sent a telepathic signal to prep the X-jet. We need to be in the air and over that villa in less than fifteen minutes. As soon as we detect the slightest trace of MGH, we will strike."

"Preferably with overwhelming force," said Captain Freeman, "I'll get in touch with General Grimshaw. He'll mobilize our MSA forces and get them in position. This time, we're not going to lone wolf it. We're either going to take Shaw in or give him the Pablo Escobar treatment."

"Fine by me," said Jean, "We need this partnership to pay dividends and now is a damn good time to start."

The X-men were eager to get out into the field. Professor Xavier led Jean, Ororo, Rogue, Remy, Betsy, and Piotr out of the secure area and towards the roof where the X-jet was waiting for them. Captain Freeman followed closely, signaling some nearby officers to assist him in contacting the General. Hank was prepared to go with them, but lingered for a bit with Tessa. He noticed that she was packing up some of her equipment.

"I hope you're just doing a spyware sweep of your systems, my dear," he told her, "I don't think it would be prudent for you to come along on this mission if you were at all _compromised_."

"This mission involves Sebastian Shaw. I'm coming no matter how much it sickens me," said Tessa strongly, "If you want to try and stop me, feel free. Just know that sleeping with you has made me keen on all your weaknesses."

"I prefer we not test that hypothesis. I also prefer we not let our emotions cloud our judgment on such a vital mission," he said as he tried to console his lover.

Tessa fought hard to keep her emotions stable. Her computer-like mind was overwhelmed with the prospect of confronting this man again. She always thought so rationally when confronting a problem. This was one instance were rationality took a back seat to personal vendettas. Even with Hank's gentle coaxing, she placed her hand over his and looked at him with eyes wrought with emotion. She tried to convey as much strength as she could. She understood that it would be at a premium in any battle against Sebastian Shaw.

"Hank…I need to do this," she told him, "I need to confront this ugly part of my past once and for all. I can't keep being Tessa and Sage. One needs to become the other or both will die."

"I understand the personal stake you have in this affair. I also understand the desire to confront a part of yourself that you despise," said Hank.

"Does this mean you're going to step aside?"

"It means I'm going to stay by your side and potentially infuriate you when I keep you from going too far," he replied as he gently cupped her chin, "I love you whether you're Tessa or Sage. So please…heed my concerns and don't despise me too much when I stand in your way."

Her computerized mind was finally able to process what was unfolding. Hank McCoy knew how to push her buttons. More importantly, he knew when they needed to be pushed. This was one instance where she could not simply rely on her brilliant mind. She would have to rely on him instead. As illogical as it sounded, she still took comfort in it.

Sensing his lover was in a clearer state of mind, Hank assisted her in packing up the rest of her equipment. She would only bring her laptop for this mission. There was only so much she could do with hacking this time. She would have to fight with the X-men for the rest of her gains.

"Hey! You two coming or not?" shouted Betsy from outside the door, "Save the pillow talk for later because we _will_ leave without you."

Upon hearing Betsy's lively threat, Tessa took a deep breath and prepared to follow Hank and the X-men into the chaos.

"I won't make any promises, Hank. But you've earned my trust as much as you've earned my love. So I'll trust in your judgment," she told him, "If I become too much of a bitch, I'll try and make it up to you later."

"Fair enough," said Hank as they ran off after the others, "Now let us take part in Sebastian Shaw's downfall! Lord knows it's _long_ overdue."

* * *

 **Earlier**

Hedonism had gotten a bad rap throughout history. It seemed whenever someone needed to denigrate another, they would label them as reckless hedonists concerned only with indulging in the pleasures of the world. Somewhere along the way, seeking pleasure became a bad thing. Regan and Martinique Wyngarde could never understand it. In their experience, hedonism was a fine way of life.

"Do you ever stop and think that our grandfather would disapprove of what we do, Martinique?" asked Regan as she lounged next to her older sister.

"I try not to," shrugged Martinique callously, "That old coot never stuck around long enough to make me care what he thinks."

"I wouldn't judge him that harshly," argued Regan, "He did teach us to use our powers in many _creative_ ways."

"That he did, but knowing him, it was just part of his never-ending research. He could care less that we use our powers to induce ecstasy in its purest form. That's why I could care less what he thinks of our chosen lifestyle. And what a lifestyle it is!"

"On that, I most certainly agree," said Regan with a wry grin.

Their lifestyle was a testament to the hedonism they embraced. As nice as their little dwelling was at the Hellfire Club, their home here in Mexico was much more preferable. While Sebastian Shaw owned this villa, it was run their grandfather while he was still working for the Inner Circle. So when he disappeared, Regan and Martinique decided to set up shop in their own special way.

One of the largest areas of the villa was the bath house. It was larger than most peoples' homes and set up with hedonism in mind. It was enclosed in a large room with a domed ceiling. Up along the dome were elaborate designs of clouds, stars, and various nude figures. It covered a massive pool area that was heated and surrounded by pristine marble figures.

Within the pools were elaborate fountains chiseled out of ivory and the finest of stone. All along the walls were rows of candles and lights, which helped give the area a very luxurious and sensuous feel. Along the pools were plush futons and small beds, covered in velvet with fine linens. While the grandeur of the facility was without question, it was the people that occupied it that gave the bath house it's hedonistic feel.

Just like the Hellfire Club, Regan and Martinique were surrounded by the dazed addicts that they enticed with their powers. They were all lofting about the bath house, awash in the euphoria that the two sisters induced. Some swam around naked. Others danced about without any music playing. There were over a hundred of them, representing a good chunk of the workforce that distributed Kick.

Under Sebastian Shaw's order, Regan and Martinique transported their stronger and more robust followers while leaving others behind to deal what was left of their MGH stash. They were told that such manpower would be necessary for what he had planned.

None of this worried the two sisters. They were content to let Shaw do the work while they lounged around with their followers. Sitting upon a pair of plush futons, the two psychics laid back in bikinis just waiting for Shaw's tedious affair to end.

"Skipping from one dirty old man to another, what do you think Sebastian Shaw will have us do?" wondered Regan, "I doubt he had is gather all our followers like this for one decadent party."

"Knowing him, it is a possibility," teased Martinique.

"I'm not saying it isn't, but he almost looked _anxious_ when he told us to move our operations to Mexico."

"Sebastian Shaw? Anxious?" joked Martinique.

"I'm as shocked as you," her younger sister quipped, "But he's nothing if not paranoid. He seems intent on refining MGH and I don't think it's just to make more money."

"I thought there wasn't much money in MGH to begin with. Aside from allowing talented mutants like us to carve a comfortable living for ourselves out of weak minds."

"Well you can't tell me with a straight face that it works perfectly. We have to take it four times a day in order to keep up this comfortable living. Not being a fan of needles, it would be nice if only one dose was needed."

"If Shaw isn't overly concerned with keeping other mutants addicted, I'm sure he's working on it as we speak."

"I've heard rumors that he is," said Regan.

"Since when do you pay attention to rumors?" scoffed Martinique.

"If they have a potential to affect us, then I say they're worth taking seriously."

"Well if it's true, I wouldn't be surprised. Hell, I would welcome a new version of MGH that makes us stronger for longer," the older Wyngarde sister grinned.

"Me too. Which is why I hope none of Shaw's _many_ enemies screw it up."

"We won't let that happen," said Martinique, "We won't allow it."

"You had better not," came a familiar voice.

Regan and Martinique rose from their comfortable positions to see Sebastian Shaw standing over them. His stern demeanor clashed with the opulent hedonism that so defined their bathhouse, but seeing as how they needed him as much as he needed them they had to listen.

"My dear King, I hope you're here to join us in our relaxing den of debauchery," said Martinique playfully.

"I wish I could, but I cannot relax until this operation is complete," said the Black King, "As we speak, my people are just about finished with a special batch of MGH."

"By _special,_ do you mean untested?" questioned Regan, "Because you know my sister and I are always looking to _expand_ our ecstasy-inducing capabilities."

"This isn't for you, I'm afraid. It's for six very special guests of ours. They just arrived moments ago and we're to greet them as any royalty should."

"I suppose it's only proper," sighed Martinique, incensed at the prospect of having to do some real work, "What sort of guests are they? More mutants looking to escape the voyeuristic eye of the MSA?"

"That's what they think. But for these special mutants, I have something else in mind. In order for it to work, I'll need you to make them feel _comfortable_."

"Comfortable for us is a pretty broad scale, my King," Regan pointed out, "What kind of _comfortable_ are we talking here?"

"The kind that won't make them think twice about doing us a few favors," Shaw replied.

Regan and Martinique grinned at the prospect. They understood the subtext. Sebastian Shaw loved control and thanks to their skilled use of telepathy, control was their specialty. With renewed enthusiasm for work, the two young women got up from their comfortable lounges and retrieved their robes.

"I suppose we _could_ show our guests some hospitality," said Martinique, "We can all relax a bit more once this elaborate endeavor of yours is complete."

"When you see what my people have been working on, you'll be too excited to relax," said Shaw.

"You know who are grandfather is, my King. So you should know we're not easily impressed," said Regan.

"As your grandfather himself once told me, all perceptions can be molded with the right resources," said the Black King, "With this in mind, we have to proceed quickly. I suspect some old enemies of mine are looking to disrupt this process."

"Can't say I'm surprised," shrugged Regan casually, "It just wouldn't be interesting if someone _didn't_ try to mess up our fun."

"Perhaps we should dispatch them before proceeding? I'm sure my sister and I can handle them," said Martinique.

"Nonsense," said Shaw, "I've already prepared a distraction for them. She's an old friend of Warhawk's. I think you'll like her."

Shaw directed their attention to their right where a series of curtains led into the dressing rooms. From behind these curtains, an attractive figure emerged.

It was a woman who looked older than Regan and Martinique. She had dark greenish hair, dark green eyes, and a voluptuous figure that was befitting of the Inner Circle. Covering this figure was a unique outfit. It resembled their Black Queen outfit, but it had no cape and consisted of a snake-skin embroiders. While it had more of a dress-like feel, it was still plenty revealing. As she approached Shaw and the Wyngarde sisters, her eyes flashed ominously in a way reminiscent of a snake.

"My queens, allow me to introduce Chimera," said Sebastian Shaw proudly, "She's currently auditioning for a role as Black Knight. Like you, she's a mutant. Her abilities are derived from psychic forces, but they pack a bit more firepower."

"That's being generous, my king. I think you'll find I'm equal parts style and substance!" said Chimera.

To prove her point, she did a little demonstration for Regan and Martinique. Her eyes flashed again, this time in a brighter shade of green. Behind her, an ominous green light emerged and from it a couple of dragon-like creatures formed. They weren't illusions by any measure. The Wyngarde sisters could tell. They let out ominous roars that show that they were powerful. While it instilled fear in some of their intoxicated followers, Regan and Martinique grinned at such a display.

"You're right, my King. I _do_ like her!" said Regan.

"As do I," said Martinique, "But are you sure she alone can handle any _obstructions_?"

"Under normal circumstances, of course not," said Shaw, "Which is why I've already made sure there's nothing normal about it."

"Indeed," said Chimera ominously, "That's where this comes in."

From a small pocket in her dress, Chimera took out a small vial and showed it to the Wyngarde sisters. It looked like a regular dose of MGH, but this one had an unusual glow to it. This seemed to confirm what Regan had suspected earlier. MGH was poised for an upgrade and so were their powers.

"Don't bother asking questions about it. You'll get a full explanation soon enough," said Chimera, "Just know that whatever our enemies throw at us, rest assure we'll always have the advantage."

* * *

 **Villa Del Fuego Main Lab – Present Time**

"This place is _amazing_!" exclaimed Gabriel as he and his fellow mutants made their way through the opulent estate.

"This is the first time I actually feel lost inside a house," said Idie.

"Where are we now? It doesn't look as fancy as the other rooms," said Laurie as she took in their surroundings.

"There's a reason for that, my dear," said Warhawk, "You've seen the style of Mr. Shaw's endeavor. Now prepare to witness the substance!"

Having made their way through many elaborate halls, Jubilee and the five mutants that joined her arrived at their destination. This latest room was in the sub-levels of the villa. It looked like a cross between a throne room and a laboratory. There was an elaborate array of computers, pumps, bio-tanks, and chemical vats. These machines were all manned by an army of men in dark uniforms with white masks. What stood out, though, was that they seemed oblivious to their entrance.

It looked as though they were preparing for something major. All this activity surrounded another highly-decorated area where there were three fancy-looking chairs that were more like thrones. On these thrones were three figures, each of whom looked eager to greet them.

At this point, Jubilee was starting to get nervous. She was in pretty deep and given how vast this facility was, she would have hard time escaping if the situation got heated. She also recognized one of the figures on the throne as Sebastian Shaw. He was still as imposing as ever. His presence sent shivers down her spine. She tried to hide it as Warhawk led her and her excited associates into this man's commanding presence.

"So these are our latest recruits," said Shaw as he stood up to greet them, "Well done, Warhawk. They look like a promising bunch."

"Promising indeed," said Regan wryly as she remained seated with Martinique.

"Mate?" said Teon with an intrigued look.

"Took the words right out of my mouth, Teon," said Gabriel, grinning under the gaze of the two attractive women.

"What's that say about you?" chided Laurie.

Warhawk stepped back to help the rest of Shaw's workers while the Black King got acquainted with these awe-struck young mutants. They all tensed in this man's presence. He looked like the kind of guy who could defy the Mutant Monitoring Initiative and get away with it. That didn't make him any less intimidating.

"I'll skip much of the formalities," said Shaw, "I'm sure you've already heard my pitch. I don't need to repeat it. I'm assuming you're like the dozens of other mutants who have come to me for help. The Mutant Monitoring Initiative has left you with no control over your lives. You have nowhere to go and you don't trust the authorities to help you."

"That should be a given, right?" said Jubilee, pretending it wasn't a big deal.

"I've always had problems with regular authorities. Just ask my father…what's left of him anyways," said Kenji.

"I understand how you feel. More than you think actually," said Shaw, "That's part of why I'm doing this. I'm prepared to give you new lives with new purpose, free from the scrutiny of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative."

"I'm told those new lives include things like better schooling, a decent job, and a stable income," said Laurie, often the pragmatist.

"And I hope the girls are bonus," said Gabriel, who couldn't stop staring at the Wyngarde sisters.

"Oh you'll have that and much more," assured Shaw, "My company has taken mutants such as yourselves and gotten them involved in many profitable ventures. From mining and construction to art and research, there's no shortage of opportunities."

"Food?" said Teon.

"Yes, that too," laughed Shaw, "But the six of you are special. You're arriving at an exciting moment for Shaw Industries. And I'm looking forward to your participation. I think you'll appreciate what I'm doing for our kind."

He made a compelling pitch. Even Jubilee was impressed. It was so enticing that it almost made her forget that this man came off as honest as a hungry wolf. Laurie, Gabriel, Teon, Idie, and Kenji were already convinced. They exchanged hopeful glances, eager to see Shaw deliver on these lofty promises. Jubilee pretended to share their enthusiasm. So in hopes of not coming off as suspicious, she stepped forth.

"Mr. Shaw, I think I speak for all of us when I say we're totally interested," said Jubilee, "If you can give us better lives _and_ keep the MSA off our back, I say we're ready to begin."

"I'm glad you feel that way, Miss Lee. I'm more than ready to begin," said Shaw with a smile, "There's just one little formality we must take care of first."

"And what might that be?" asked Kenji.

"It's nothing serious, I assure you. We just need to weed out the spy that was sent to infiltrate my operation."

He said these words so casually, as if they were a minor inconvenience. Laurie, Kenji, Gabriel, Teon, and Idie were taken aback while Jubilee was left with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Had Shaw really sniffed her out? Had he been leading her along the whole time?

"Spy? Why…why would you think one of us is a spy?" asked Gabriel nervously.

"Relax, my boy. I know it isn't you," assured Shaw, "I expected my enemies to track me down. I didn't think they were foolish enough to send one of their own into my midst. They must be getting desperate."

"Enemies? What kind of enemies?" asked Idie nervously.

"The kind that thoroughly underestimate my resources," he said with a slight laugh, "If they were at all competent, they would have realized by now that my two lovely queens were already in the process of exposing her in the most uncomfortable manner possible."

Now Jubilee was getting really nervous. She tried her best to maintain her composure. She had survived on the streets of District X for years. She should be able to handle this. However, as she looked towards Regan and Martinique Wyngarde, she knew something was wrong. Then in a very painful moment, it struck her.

Suddenly, Jubilee was overcome with paralyzing headache. It was as if someone jammed a red-hot dagger into the core of her brain. This stabbing pain was coupled with a crippling nausea. She tried to shut it out with the mental shielding techniques that Tessa taught her, but it was no use. Clutching her stomach in agony, she fell to her knees.

"Augh! My…my stomach!" she groaned.

"What's the matter, Miss Lee? Is your tummy hurting?" taunted Shaw as he stood over her.

"Whoa…is she the spy?" said Laurie.

"Fight?" said Teon as he and the others looked on.

"Wait and you'll see," said Shaw in an amused tone.

While Jubilee was writhing in pain, Regan and Martinique got up from their thrones. Looking every bit as amused as Shaw, they approached the ailing young woman. Jubilee was now on all fours, coughing up dry-heaves as if she had food poisoning. The five other mutants stepped back, anxious about what would happen next.

"It comes with the skills our grandfather taught us," mused Martinique.

"In addition to inducing great pleasure, we can also induce great pain," said Regan, "In fact, did you know that it was possible to induce vomiting by simply stimulating a certain area of the brain stem?"

As if on cue, Jubilee felt it. In an instant, she felt her stomach turn against her and eject everything inside up through her throat.

"HUUAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" she heaved, spewing greenish pink chunks all over the floor.

It was an unpleasant and disgusting sensation. It was so violent that Jubilee nearly passed out from the bodily strain. She stayed conscious, but only long enough to find out that the device that Tessa had her swallow was expelled along with the rest of her stomach contents. When Shaw saw this he casually walked over to her, took out a handkerchief, and retrieved it along with her sunglasses.

"My sweet Tessa," said Shaw, shaking his head in bemusement, "I thought you were smarter than this. A camera built into sunglasses and an ingested transmitter? You've not only lost you're touch. You've seen one too many James Bond movies."

"Can you tell if it's still transmitting?" asked Martinique.

"Oh I know it is. I want my darling assistant and her friends to know what I'm about to do," grinned the Black King, "Miss Lee here become a fitting example to all those who oppose the Inner Circle."

As Sebastian Shaw stood over Jubilee with his two queens, Warhawk rejoined them. This time he had with him a large metal case. Inside were the fruits of this elaborate operation. Many of the workers who had been operating the equipment were already leaving. They knew what was coming and knew it was not wise to be around when it happened.

"What are you going to do to her?" asked Idie nervously as she looked on with Laurie, Kenji, Teon, and Gabriel.

"Rest assure, she will be punished. We can't in good conscious allow her to disrupt this operation that has served so many mutants," said Shaw, "So she'll provide a worthy test subject for our latest breakthrough in mutant research."

Shaw signaled to Warhawk, who nodded and opened the metal case. Inside were six special vials of MGH. They looked similar to the vial that Chimera had taken earlier, except these exhibited a very different kind of glow. Looking up from her pained state, Jubilee watched as Shaw grabbed one of the vials and filled a syringe with the contents.

"Before we proceed, I have but one request, Miss Lee," said Shaw as he held the syringe over her, "When you see Tessa again, tell her she could have been my queen. Now she will fall like every other pawn that opposes the Inner Circle!"

* * *

 **Up next: Drug War Part 2**


	8. Issue 156: Drug War Part 2

**Issue #156  
Drug War Part 2**

* * *

 _Tensions are escalating for Professor Charles Xavier and his X-men. He continues to fight for peace and understanding in a world that hates and fears mutants. However, that same world also wants him to deal with threats that are still poorly understood._

 _There is still plenty of mystery surrounding Sebastian Shaw and the drug, Mutant Growth Hormone. With the controversial Mutant Monitoring Initiative at stake, the X-men hatched a daring plan that involved sending Jubilee right into Shaw's clutches as a spy._

 _Along the way, she met up with five other mutants, each intent on rebuilding lives that had been shattered by their mutant abilities. Feeling trapped with no control over their lives, they placed their trust in Sebastian Shaw to give them another chance. They witness first-hand as the X-men's plot unraveled and Jubilee's deception was exposed._

 _Now, as the X-men make their way to Shaw's Mexican villa, X-Force is already on the scene looking to oppose Shaw before it becomes a public spectacle like the recent incident with Nitro. However, like the X-men, they underestimated Sebastian Shaw. Even as they begin their attack, Shaw is aware of their presence and has taken precautions to ensure that nobody opposes him._

* * *

 **Outside Villa Del Fuego**

"We've got a sniper on the loose out here and some kind of firepower!" barked one of Shaw's Mexican guards as he ran for a defensive position with three subordinates.

"Didn't we call for backup already?" asked another guard.

"The boss isn't answering. They might be in lockdown."

"Well sound the alarm or something!" exclaimed another guard as he prepared his assault rifle, "Our surveillance gear is already down. We need to strike back before-AUGH!"

That was as far as the four armed men got. While they were still running, a purplish puff of smoke appeared ahead of them. From it, three figures emerged. Nightcrawler, Wolverine, and Warpath didn't let them pass or sound any alarms.

Warpath clotheslined two of the guards while Wolverine and Nightcrawler took out the other two. They fell before a shot could even be fired. One tried to turn around and run in the other direction, but Wolverine grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back.

"Let go, gringo! This isn't…what I…signed up for," the man struggled.

"You make a deal with the devil, you better be ready to die for him, bub," snarled Wolverine as he aimed his claws right at the man's throat.

"Go easy on him, Wolverine. I don't zhink he's one of Shaw's more loyal associates," coaxed Nightcrawler.

"It's still a shitty excuse," quipped Wolverine, "Consider this a slap on the wrist."

This _slap_ ended up being a knee to the gut and an elbow to the back of the neck. It effectively knocked the guard out. He would live, but he would need a brief hospital stay at the very least.

Wolverine had little capacity for mercy when it came to Sebastian Shaw. If the point of this attack was to get Shaw to react, he preferred making a much more forceful statement.

"You done, Wolverine?" chided Warpath.

"Don't be an ass about it, bub. Leave that shit to Cyclops," said Wolverine as he shoved the unconscious guard aside, "We're just rattling Shaw's fancy cage. From the looks of it, he ain't doing dick about it."

"He vill eventually. Men like Shaw always do," said Nightcrawler confidently.

"For all we know, he already has. We just haven't felt it yet," said Warpath as he scanned the area thoroughly.

"Well he better make his move soon. These half-assed attacks ain't my style. I'm starting to think Cyke is losing his touch."

"You say zhat at least twice a day, Logan. Vill you ever give it a rest?" teased Nightcrawler.

"You might as well ask him to quit drinking," scoffed Warpath, "Speaking of Cyclops, where the hell is he?"

Before Wolverine could make another degrading comment about their leader, the distinct beam of an optic blast shot out from around a nearby corner. With it came two other Mexican guards that never got a chance to fire back. They were sent flying a good twenty feet away from the main villa wall. Shortly after they landed on the rugged Mexican terrain, Cyclops and Emma Frost emerged.

They had successfully cleared out their end of the Villa perimeter. Emma Frost was in her diamond form and there were a few bullet holes etched in her already revealing uniform. While Cyclops continued scanning the area for other targets, Emma brushed herself off as best she could.

"We took out the main sentries in the back. Did you encounter any problems hitting the barracks on the side?" asked Cyclops, keeping his hand on his visor just in case.

"Oh I'm fine, darling. Thanks for asking," said Emma dryly, "I have no problem with you using me as a human shield while bullets rip through my uniform."

"As if you had much uniform to begin with, Frost," teased Warpath.

"If you're gonna bitch about Cyke's tactics, I'll be happy to join you," said Wolverine with folded arms, "We ain't getting nothing from these pansy ass attacks. We've roughed up a few guards, torn up a few gates, and damaged his fancy landscape. I bet Shaw could just write a check to fix this shit."

"The point isn't to overwhelm him. The point is to make him _overreact_ ," reiterated Cyclops.

"I get the strategy, bub. I still think it's fucked up," Wolverine retorted.

Cyclops scowled his feral teammate. He was not in the mood to argue with him, even if his concerns were valid. Shaw didn't seem to be responding to their attacks. He had to know about them. Either he was choosing to ignore them or he was still reluctant to make his move. Even if the strategy was flawed, they had to keep applying pressure.

"I understand you guys are frustrated, but we need to keep on pushing," urged Cyclops, "Domino has already taken out the security cameras and sensors. Angel took out the observation towers and air defenses. He's on his way to pick Domino up so we can link up and attack the gates."

"We might want to let her soften them up a bit, darling?" said Emma, who shifted out of her diamond form to use her telepathy, "I've been doing scans of this tacky villa Shaw calls a base. I'm not getting any psychic signals."

"He's probably got the place shielded. We'll know more once we start damaging it," said Cyclops.

"Finally! A plan that makes sense," said Wolverine, his claws prepared for action.

"It might not be that simple or that fun," warned Emma, "I'm detecting more than just shielding. I think he might have a psychic or two by his side. It's just like him to try and replace me."

"You can compare thongs with them soon enough," said Warpath, "If we're going to hit Shaw harder, let's do it now before he decides to take his head out of his ass and…"

Suddenly, Warpath's warning was cut off when a mysterious blast struck only a few feet from where they were standing. Cyclops, Warpath, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, and Emma Frost instinctively fell back. They turned around just in time to see a large column of greenish light plow through the landscape and hit the outer wall of the villa, leaving a sizable indent. Along with it came the cry of two familiar voices.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!"

X-Force recognized these cries as belonging to Domino and Angel. Domino's tattered figure tumbled to the side just short of where the blast had struck. Angel fell a few feet from her as if he had been thrown right along with her. They hadn't endured the full force of the blast, but it looked like she endured more than her share.

"Domino? Angel!" exclaimed Nightcrawler as he, Cyclops, and Emma rushed to their aid.

"What the hell was that?" exclaimed Warpath as he scanned the area.

"Shit if I know, but it already stinks to high hell!" snarled Wolverine.

While Wolverine and Warpath covered them, the others took in Domino and Angel's tattered condition. It looked like she got into a fight with a pack of angry bears and lost. Her uniform was torn and tattered. There were wounds over her back, left side, and face. The rifle she had been using was now nowhere in sight.

Angel was almost as bad. His wings had cushioned his fall, but he had what looked like teeth marks over the upper half of his body. It looked as though someone had just picked these two up and threw them across the rugged landscape.

"That…sucked," groaned Angel.

"Ack!" she grunted as she coughed up some blood.

"Take it easy, you two. Try not to move too much," said Cyclops as he carefully sat her up against the nearby wall.

"Guess this means your luck ran out," commented Emma as she did the same for Angel.

"Hnn…luck will keep me from getting killed or crippled. It won't spare me the pain that comes with it," groaned Domino.

"It's nothing zhe Nova Roman doctors can't treat," said Nightcrawler as he helped Cyclops keep her upright, "Now tell us who did zhis to you."

"Hnn…dragons," groaned Warren as he started coughing up blood as well.

"Let them catch her breath, elf. They're clearly out of it," snarled Wolverine, "Besides, we don't need to find the answer. Looks like it found us."

Cyclops, Nightcrawler, and Emma turned around to see what Wolverine was referring to. From the dusty cloud left from the earlier blast, another figure emerged. This time it was nobody they recognized. She emerged as an attractive yet imposing woman, her body surrounded in a greenish cloud of energy. She stopped about twenty feet from where Wolverine and Warpath were standing.

"They were an easy target," said Chimera, her green eyes flaring menacingly as she prepared for another attack, "She got only one shot off before I took her out. The winged one tried to help and failed miserably. I hope the rest of you put up more of a fight."

"Sounds like something one of my ex-girlfriends would say," said Warpath as he clenched his fists, "Are you the only one Shaw sent out to confront us?"

"If that's the case, he's getting ridiculously cheap. And I'm not just talking about your horrendous fashion sense," said Emma as she met up with Wolverine and Warpath.

"I'm all the Inner Circle needs to round up you pitiful peasants," said Chimera confidently, "That way he can save his main arsenal for much larger threats."

"Main arsenal?" questioned Cyclops.

Before he or anyone else in X-Force could inquire further, another commotion erupted from within Shaw's villa. Cyclops, Wolverine, Warpath, Nightcrawler, and Emma all looked up to see a fireball-like burst shoot up into the sky. It looked like a large fireworks display going off and behind it were two other figures.

One was an odd looking winged figure and the other looked like a mix of fire and ice streaking along the sky. There were other noises breaking out from the front door, but they were not able see what was going on. Chimera wasn't going to let them.

"Vhat vere you saying earlier about Shaw doing responding to our attacks, Wolverine?" asked Nightcrawler.

"Can it, elf! One bloody brawl at a time," said the former living weapon as he set his sights on Chimera.

"Don't let her hold us back, X-Force! Take her down quickly so we can get closer to the villa," said Cyclops, leaving Domino and Angel with Nightcrawler while he took charge.

"You make it sound as though I'll go down easy," taunted Chimera, "I may be only one mutant, but I have an advantage that you'll soon wish you had!"

With X-Force now staring her down, Chimera used her powers to demonstrate the advantage she boasted about. From the green energy surrounding her, she formed five large dragon-like creatures. They came together in a swirling burst of power, shooting a good thirty feet into the sky. It was an impressive display. Shaw was more prepared than they expected. Despite increasing activity from the villa, they prepared to attack. Whatever that activity entailed, it would have to wait.

* * *

 **X-jet – Above Villa Del Fuego**

"No…this can't be right. Please for once let these readings be wrong," said Tessa in a more emotional tone than everyone is used to.

"Dang, Ah already miss the beta version of Tessa," groaned Rogue.

"What is it? What are you detecting?" asked Professor Xavier, who was in the cockpit with Beast.

"Remember that device I had Jubilee swallow?" she replied as she looked at the data on her laptop, "Well, I think she just lost her lunch because it's no longer transmitting."

The mood throughout the X-jet was already tense. They had just arrived over Shaw's base with faint hope that they could get to Jubilee before anything went wrong. If Tessa's demeanor were any indication, then they were too late.

The news prompted Beast to fly in lower over the villa. Phoenix, Storm, Rogue, Gambit, Colossus, and Psylocke braced themselves for more turbulence and more bad news. Captain Freeman sat next to Tessa and had been keeping tabs on the situation since before they even took off. He had a line open to General Grimshaw and the MSA. From the looks of it, they were going to need it.

Tessa could already hear Bishop and Multiple yelling at her from District X. They had both been against sending Jubilee to spy on Shaw. They were concerned about her ability to handle herself in a tight situation and potentially undermining the deal they had going with Shaw. It looked like both their fears had been realized. She worked feverishly to reestablish a link with the transmitter. All she could get in return were error messages.

"If you need me to push the panic button, I can do it in a heartbeat," said Captain Freeman, "The General has the President of Mexico linked up in a conference call. MSA forces are prepared to surround the compound and strike!"

"Knowing Shaw, he's probably prepared for that," commented Colossus.

"We need to hold off a bit longer. If Jubilee is in trouble, then this just became a rescue mission," said Phoenix.

"Is there any chance you can trace the location of the signal before it cut out?" asked Storm.

"I've been trying. Something keeps blocking me out," said Tessa, her frustration building rapidly, "I designed this transmitter myself. It has no fewer than three fail-safes!"

"Keep trying, my dear," said Beast as he ignited the afterburner, "We'll be right on top of Shaw's location in less than three minutes. If you want an explanation, you'll have to _forcibly_ extract it."

It seemed to be the only option at this point. As eager as she was to beat the answers out of her former boss, Tessa had reservations. Shaw knew her as well as she knew him. He was capable of hurting her in so many ways. She tried turning those feelings off as she had tried turning off so many others. She kept working while the rest of the X-men prepared to attack. Then to her surprise, her transmitter became active again.

"Wait…I think I have something," she said as she worked to unscramble the signal.

"Please tell me it's Jubilee saying she ate a spoiled burrito," said Psylocke.

The signal came in clear, so much so that it triggered a loud screech that forced Beast to level off the jet for a moment. Before Tessa could decipher anything, the signal turned into a message. From her laptop, a familiar voice rang out.

" _I hope this is on because I have an important message to deliver."_

"That's him! That's Shaw!" exclaimed Phoenix.

"My signal? How is he…" began Tessa.

"We'll figure that out later. Hank, level the jet! We need to hear this!" Professor Xavier urged.

The X-men, Tessa, and Captain Freeman fell silent as they listened in on this transmission. Beast kept the jet level. Below, Shaw's villa was in sight so he likely knew they were close.

" _First off, don't fret for Miss Lee. She's fine. So are the five strapping young mutants that accompanied her. I assume you think you're saving them. Although, I must say I'm disappointed. I expect more cunning, especially from former associates."_

"Former associates?" questioned Gambit as he looked towards Tessa suspiciously, "What the hell is he talking about?"

"Now is _not_ the time, Gambit. There are more pressing matters that need addressing," said Beast, ensuring Tessa didn't have to answer.

Tessa swallowed her anguish at Shaw's words. It sounded as though her secrets would be laid out for everyone to see. There was no hiding her past any longer.

" _I wish I had time to explain the true extent of what I'm doing. I know you've witnessed the power of Mutant Growth Hormone. I'm sure you and plenty others think it's dangerous. Yet it is just a stepping stone. A means to an end. Unlike my previous deals, this has a much grander vision. One that will render the X-men, the MSA, and the Mutant Monitoring Initiative obsolete. I could spend hours explaining to you the true essence of MGH. Instead, I'll show you. If by chance you'll survive, then you'll understand why this is necessary…and why it cannot be stopped!"_

With this ominous warning, the signal returned to static. A cold silence fell over the X-jet. The cold voice of Sebastian Shaw sounded as mad as ever and he rarely failed to back up that madness in kind.

"Ah'm probably gonna regret saying this, but what do you think he means by that?" asked Rogue.

Before the team could even contemplate such horrors, the X-jet was rocked by a new wave of turbulence. It wasn't the engines or the afterburners. Something had actually struck the X-jet from the outside and struck it hard.

"WHOA!" exclaimed Colossus, "Better start regretting, Rogue."

"What the hell was that?" said Captain Freeman as he looked out the window.

"Not what…who," Professor Xavier dreaded.

"I sense it too, Professor," said Phoenix as she clutched the sides of her head, "I think Shaw just made his point."

All eyes now turned towards the windows where the shadow of a large figure just passed over them. The source of the shadow was revealed as it flew around over the side of the jet. It appeared to be a young girl with a very unusual complexion even for a mutant.

Outside the X-jet, Laurie was thoroughly enjoying her new powers. No longer pale and feeble her skin had completely shifted to a blue, scaly complexion that was complemented by her long flowing pinkish hair. In addition to her skin tone, her whole body became more malleable. She was now shaped like a large sail with talons for feet and a fin-like tail that she had used to strike the X-jet earlier. Before she could only fly. Now she was new breed mutant.

"Are you seeing this, my king? Are you seeing how my new powers strike fear into the hearts of our enemies?" exclaimed Laurie.

"I don't think they're afraid yet. But they will be soon!" came another voice.

A sparkling fireball-like figure flew past Laurie as she soared over the X-jet. The figure flew around towards the front of the jet, which was still lumbering forward at an unstable speed. Her body was surrounded by blinding sparks of light, almost as if her entire body had been replaced.

As she flew through the sky, her hands pulsed with balls of energy. Her eyes pulsed as well, dominating a face consumed with focused anger. As soon as she flew in front of the cockpit of the X-jet, Professor Xavier and the others gasped.

"Is that…" began the Professor.

"Jubilee!" exclaimed Tessa.

"Hey guys? Remember me?" Jubilee shouted, "No? Why don't I remind you!"

The pulsing light on her hands intensified. From it, she formed a much larger ball of energy. Then with a casual gesture, she unleashed it at the X-jet. It struck the windows of the cockpit, shattering the reinforced glass. It sent a rush of cold wind through the aircraft, forcing Hank and Professor Xavier to duck in order to avoid the deadly sheer.

"We've lost pressure! I'll try and activate the autopilot!" shouted Beast over the howling winds.

"I guess say this confirms the link between Shaw and MGH!" said Captain Freeman as he and the rest of the X-men held on in their seats.

"You think?!" scolded Rogue.

While the X-jet started to tumble through the air, Jubilee flew around towards one of the sides where Laurie was still hovering. Not content to just make the X-men uncomfortable, they prepared to deliver another attack.

"I think we've officially surprised them," said Laurie.

"Let's surprise them more for the glory of our king and queens," said Jubilee, "Idie, come in and join the fun!"

From behind, a bluish red fireball shot past them at high speeds. It went right for the rear engines of the X-jet and was poised to bring them down.

"Don't call me that anymore!" shouted Idie, "I don't want to be that weak, scared little girl anymore. I'm Oya! Spirit of the elements! The Inner Circle is my lord now!"

From the oddly colored fireball, the distinct figure of Idie Okankwo emerged. Half her body was covered in fire. The other half was covered in ice. Armed with both elements, she unleashed a concentrated beam of ice on the engine exhaust of the X-jet. Despite the hot flames, a thick shell of ice formed over it. This killed the propulsion system of the X-jet, rendering it an oversized glider with nowhere to go but down.

The sudden loss of engine power was quickly felt within the jet. The lights went out in the cabin and the nose of the jet quickly turned downward. The only option left for Professor Xavier, Tessa, Captain Freeman, and the X-men was to hang on.

"This be the part where the ride gets rough," said Gambit as he held on.

"What on Earth has gotten into Jubilee?" wondered Colossus.

"You mean besides MGH?" said Rogue.

"That can't just be it. Someone's toying with her mind. I can sense it!" said Tessa.

"As can I," said Professor Xavier, "We'll have plenty of time to dig deeper once we land! For that, we'll need to make an emergency landing."

"That's our cue, Storm. You ready?" said Phoenix, who was already using her telekinesis to full effect.

"I know the drill, Phoenix," said Storm, her eyes turning white as she summoned a new wave of winds.

It was their standard last-ditch protocol for landing a crippled X-jet. Phoenix used her telekinesis to level the jet off and keep it stable. Storm used her powers to create a whirlwind underneath the aircraft, allowing it to descend steadily to the surface. The jet was only ten thousand feet above the surface so it wouldn't be too unpleasant a drop. Jubilee, Idie, and Laurie noticed this and were not about to let them get too comfortable.

"They think they can take the easy way out," said Jubilee, "Laurie, show them how the Inner Circle treats that kind of sloth."

"Gladly!" grinned Laurie, "But call me Transonic now. If Idie is getting a cool codename, I want one too."

Laurie sought to earn her codename in kind, shifting her body so that she looked more like a giant hawk of sorts. In this new form, she flew down at high speeds to catch up to the X-jet.

As soon as she reached it, she shifted her body again. She turned into a giant stingray-like creature, forming talons on her feet and grasping onto the wings. Once she had a firm grip on the aircraft, she used her large size to rock it violently. It threw off Storm and Phoenix's efforts while making the environment inside very uncomfortable.

"Argh! Something's throwing us off!" grunted Phoenix.

"Our stomachs can tell us _that_ , Jean!" shouted Rogue.

"Storm, intensify your winds!" ordered Professor Xavier, "This is going to be a rougher landing than expected."

"I'm trying, Charles!" grunted Storm, "Ungh! Nature can rarely make such promises!"

Storm attempted to form a much stronger whirlwind underneath the X-jet. that helped counter the heavy forces that Laurie was imposing. It still wasn't enough to prevent the jet from going into a tailspin. Everyone on board had to hold on tightly, bracing themselves for what was sure to be an unpleasant impact.

Phoenix tried to slow them down and stabilize the aircraft, but she struggled every step of the way. Without the Phoenix Force, her mind grew heavily strained.

' _Come on, Phoenix! If you're still in there…I could really use your help.'_

Despite her pleas, the cosmic being remained dormant. As the X-jet neared the ground, Phoenix's mind nearly gave out. She and Storm managed to make one final push to level the aircraft off so that it didn't plunge nose-first into the ground. However, they weren't able to make the landing as easy as they hoped.

With Laurie still clutching the wings, the X-jet skipped and skidded along the rough terrain just outside the south end of Villa Del Fuego. Captain Freeman instinctively adapted his body to become more durable. Colossus did the same, forming his metal shell in preparation for the impact.

Before they hit, they undid their restraints and grabbed onto the others to shield them. Rogue and Beast did the same. Captain Freeman covered Tessa while Beast protected Professor Xavier. Rogue aided Gambit while Colossus tried to protect both Storm and Psylocke. He tried to help Phoenix, but she was too focused on pushing her powers harder to stop the jet. It got to a point where she started bleeding from her nose. When the X-jet finally did stop, she passed out while the others were left to collect themselves.

"Hnn…have we stopped yet?" groaned Colossus, who was pinned against Storm and Psylocke.

"I certainly hope so," groaned Storm as she rubbed her head.

"We damn well better!" grunted Psylocke, "You mind getting off me before I start envying Kitty?"

Colossus shook his head in a daze as he crawled off the two women. At this point, he noticed that their seats had fallen over and the roof was warped to the point where panels had broken off. The others experienced similar clutter.

"Better get up before Remy gets too comfortable as well," said Gambit, who was pinned under Rogue.

"This ain't the place or the time, sugah," groaned Rogue as she pulled him out of his seat.

"Ain't ever stopped us before," he shrugged.

"Glad to hear you haven't lost your wit, Gambit," said Professor Xavier as Beast helped him up, "Is everyone else alright?"

"I…I think so," said Tessa as she emerged with Captain Freeman, "But I think Phoenix strained herself a bit too much."

"She's endured worse. I'll tend to her," assured Professor Xavier as he rushed to help the unconscious Phoenix out of her seat.

"We all have," groaned Beast, still rubbing his head, "This may qualify as the worst landing we've ever managed to survive. I'm not sure if it's a testament to our luck or the X-jet."

"Forget the X-jet! The taxpayers will reimburse you for a new one," said Captain Freeman, "We need to get out of this tin can and find those punks that attacked us."

The Green Beret didn't take time to collect himself. He was still focused on the mission. But before he could rally the X-men into his mindset, the jet was rocked again with more turbulence. This time it was different.

The entire right side of the jet was literally ripped open as if it was a tin can. The X-men had almost forgotten that Laurie still had a hold on them. Using the talons she formed on her feet, she peeled away the wreckage.

"Playing dead in there won't stop you from being dead! But it never hurts to practice!" taunted Laurie.

"Ugh, as if mah mama hadn't given meh enough reasons to hate blue-skinned mutants," groaned Rogue.

As a gaping opening was ripped into the jet, a harsh gust of dusty wind swooped through the crippled jet. The still dazed X-men fell back from the turbulence and watched as Laurie stood in front of them, shifting her form so that she was humanoid again. Moments later, Jubilee and Idie landed next to her. From behind three other ominous figures emerged. It gave the X-men yet another reason to feel sore.

One of the figures was a larger, more muscular, more animal-looking Teon. Now twice his normal size, he also had fur all over his body to make him look like a true beast. Standing next to him was Gabriel, who was hard to make out because he seemed to be a walking blur. It was as if time and space around him was obscured.

Behind the both of them was Kenji, who took on a form that looked anything but human. He was now a hulking blob-like creature that stood as tall as a large house with tentacles laced with blackened veins. In the center, he sat on a throne-like chair with blackish veins bulging from his body. As they caught up with their comrades, they were eager to attack.

"KILL! KILL!" roared Teon.

"That's the spirit, Teon!" grinned Gabriel in a strongly modulated tone, "I hope you girls saved some leftovers for us!"

"I think we softened them up a bit. Feel free to do some softening of your own," said Jubilee with a sadistic grin.

"That is not what his majesty ordered us to do. We're to make an example of them. Their demise shall be our greatest work of art," seethed Kenji, his voice raspy as the veins around his head throbbed.

They all sounded drunk with power and intent on doing Sebastian Shaw's bidding. It was the same intoxicated mindset they had seen in Beak only this was far worse. With Jubilee leading them, fighting back would prove difficult in so many ways.

Professor Xavier met up with Captain Freeman as they emerged from the wreckage. Beast, Tessa, Storm, Gambit, Rogue, Psylocke, and Colossus soon followed. Colossus carried the weakened Phoenix with him. They were all still dazed from this sudden attack. Shaw was fighting dirty in the worst possible way. Opposing him would mean opposing these young, misguided mutants.

"Remember that panic button you mentioned earlier, Captain?" said Professor Xavier.

"What about it?" said the Green Beret as he prepared to fight.

"Now would be a good time to start pressing it. Shaw has pulled some dirty tricks before, but this is by far the most egregious."

"It may be worse than that," mused Tessa distantly, "If this is what I think it is then we're all in grave danger."

* * *

 **Earlier**

Sebastian Shaw looked down at the weakened Jubilee with a bemused glance. Still reeling from having literally thrown up her secrets, she tried in vain to attack him. She barely raised her hand before Shaw grabbed her by the throat, lifted her up off the floor, and showed her to the five wary mutants that had watched this whole event unfold.

"You see, children? _This_ is what happens when pawns try to betray their king," said Shaw, "This brazen young lady had the audacity to take my generous offer and undermine it."

"But…why would she want to do that?" asked Idie in a confused tone.

"Is she undercover for the MSA or the CIA?" asked Gabriel.

"Not quite, but close," said Shaw cryptically, "You don't take bold steps forward without trampling over a few people and making some enemies along the way."

"That sounds…troubling," said Kenji.

"Fight?" said Teon defensively.

"Do not misjudge us, young ones," said Regan Wyngarde, "We do what we do with your best interests in mind."

"We never would have let Miss Lee get this far if we didn't think we could make something productive of it," added Martinique.

Laurie, Kenji, Teon, Gabriel, and Idie were still confused. They had no idea they would play a part in some infiltration plot. They were just here to make a new life for themselves. They had since discovered that Sebastian Shaw was no philanthropist. He had a much larger vision in mind and he wasn't afraid to hurt people in order to achieve it. That disturbed them on a number of levels, but they weren't in a position to change their minds.

"So…what's going to happen to her?" asked Laurie anxiously.

"Watch and see for yourself," grinned Shaw, "All the answers are within this syringe."

The Black King held up the syringe that contained a full dose of the newly modified MGH. The five young mutants looked on intently while Jubilee started to panic. This mission was getting worse by the second and she didn't care for needles in the first place. She started struggling, but Shaw's grip on her neck was too great.

"Ack! You stick me with that…you're a dead man," grunted Jubilee, "My friends…will come for me."

"Oh I'm counting on it, my dear," said the Black King, "In fact, I expect you to greet them."

With no further hesitation, Shaw jammed the needle into her shoulder and injected every last drop of MGH. Jubilee cringed at the feeling, doing her best to fight the coming effects. But it was no use. As soon as the drug was in her system, she felt it change her.

"Argh! It burns! I feel…"

"We know," said Regan Wyngarde ominously, "We feel it too."

Shaw let Jubilee go, allowing her to fall to her knees. The burning sensation in her arm quickly spread all throughout her body. She clutched her sides and kept groaning in discomfort.

Within moments her hands and eyes started radiating sparks. Soon every inch of exposed skin was radiating these sparks. It got to a point where her skin was apparently replaced by these sparks. It was as if she was becoming the very firework-like power she wielded.

In addition to her body, the MGH affected her mind as well. Her thoughts raced and were quickly bombarded with these new feelings she didn't understand. It was as if her brain was thinking thoughts that weren't even hers. As these powers consumed her, Martinique and Regan's eyes started glowing. Jubilees eyes soon matched this glow. Once her mind settled and her body stabilized, she rose up in her energetic new form. The discomfort had subsided and was replaced with something very different.

"Well, Miss Lee? How do you feel?" asked Sebastian Shaw.

"I feel…right," said Jubilee as she looked down at herself, " _This_ is it. _This_ is what I was meant to be!"

"Such is the power of this new refined version of MGH," said Martinique.

"It doesn't just complete your powers. It links all those who partake in its glory," said Regan, her flashing eyes demonstrating this link.

"Yes…I can sense it. The Inner Circle…this is where I belong."

"And we're welcome to have you, my dear," said the Black King.

It turned out even better than he expected. This version of MGH was potent in an entirely new way. The mutants who used it wouldn't just be bound by it's power. They would be bound to the Inner Circle. It ensured that Sebastian Shaw would have control and power in abundance. It would lay the foundation for a new Inner Circle.

With this successful demonstration, the Black King turned to the five mutants that had watched in amazement. They were clearly impressed and disturbed by what they had seen. Now they were faced with a daunting decision.

"Whoa…this was _so_ not part of the deal," said Laurie.

"Does it count as bonus?" questioned Gabriel.

"That depends on a very skewed definition of the word," said Kenji in a defensive tone.

"Flight?" said Teon.

"I don't think that's an option," said Idie anxiously.

"He's right," said Shaw as he approached them with Warhawk following close behind, "You five made the decision to come here. Now you must see that decision through."

Shaw turned towards Warhawk, who handed him five more doses of the new MGH. The five mutants stepped back for a moment, but there was nowhere for them to go.

"Together with Jubilee, you will be the first in a new generation of mutants. You will no longer be bound by the limitations that hinder you. You will be complete…united…and above all, in control thanks to the Inner Circle."

"I take it that control is wielded by _you_ ," surmised Kenji with a touch of cynicism.

"Like all natural hierarchies, there needs to be a king," he shrugged, "This is your destiny. It's time for you to embrace it."

"And if we refuse?" questioned Laurie.

Shaw and the Wyngarde sisters laughed. The fear in these young souls was laughable. It was an easily corrected flaw. They would serve the Inner Circle well for years to come.

"I don't think you fully grasp what I'm saying," said Shaw as he presented them their doses of MGH, "Destiny cannot be chosen. It can only be accepted. It's only a matter of how much you want it to hurt."

* * *

 **Villa Del Fuego South Perimeter – Present**

' _Hear me, my fellow lights. Our thoughts and our powers are at levels these fools can't possibly understand. They are petty and dysfunctional, never sure of themselves or each other. We don't have the problem! We are the lights of the Inner Circle and together we're going to show these pawns some real power!'_

These determined thoughts were shared without impediment by Jubilee, Laurie, Idie, Gabriel, Kenji, and Teon. There was no barrier between them. They were one unit with one purpose and that was to serve the Inner Circle. They stood together against a dazed team of X-men that were still reeling from their impromptu landing. With this collective determination, they launched their attack.

"FIGHT! KILL! FIGHT! KILL!" roared Teon as he charged towards the X-men.

"Guess we know they're strategy. Spread them out and take them down, X-men!" said Captain Freeman as he prepared to adapt his body again.

"I don't think that will do much good," said Tessa, who had sensed their collective thoughts earlier.

"It's better than lying back while Shaw enjoys the show," said Rogue, who had already taken to the air.

Rogue and Captain Freeman drew the fire away from their friends. Jubilee and Idie unleashed energy bolts and fireballs right at the Green Beret. He adapted his body to take the heat and the punishment. It blew off the top part of his uniform, but his adaptive form was able to endure.

Rogue went for Laurie, who was still hovering in the air. She flew towards her at high speeds, which Laurie tried to match. While she was still in her large, sting-ray form it didn't add to her strength. When Rogue struck, she was stunned and tumbled to the ground. Rogue made sure she fell flat on her face so she stayed stunned.

"Ungh!" grunted Laurie as her large form reshaped.

"You're new at this so here's a quick lesson for ya. Lookin' scary ain't gonna make you stronger," said Rogue.

"Is that a lesson or a theory?" said Kenji, who immediately came to Laurie's aid, "If so, why not test it?"

Before Rogue could even get off Laurie, Kenji lashed out at her with seven swirling tentacles. They slithered around her legs and arms, pulling her up into the air and binding her in an iron grip. She tried breaking free with her strength, but Kenji proved to have the reliance to go along with his size. He shifted from an amorphous mass to fifteen-foot humanoid with tentacles for hands.

"Errrrrr! Fahne! You've made…your point!" grunted Rogue.

"Oh I'm just getting started," grinned Kenji in his new form, "Your destruction shall be my greatest work!"

Kenji had Rogue in his grasp. Idie and Jubilee had Captain Freeman pinned. This allowed Teon and Gabriel to attack the rest of the X-men. Teon caused the ground to crack with every step he took. He pounced on the X-men like a wild animal attacking its prey. He went right for Tessa and Jean, who were the most vulnerable.

"KILL! FIGHT! KILL! FIGHT!" he stated.

"That's a _disturbing_ order of words," groaned Tessa a she tried to rouse the unconscious Phoenix, "Come on, Jean! Sleeping through this is _not_ an option."

She tried dragging Phoenix away, but at the rate Teon was charting that would do them little good. The feral mutant snarled as he reached out to attack. He was just a few feet away from them when Colossus rushed in from the side and knocked him out of the way with a shoulder tackle.

"You would be wise to change your priorities, boy," said the Russian, clenching his fist as he stared down hulking young man.

"FIGHT!" barked Teon.

While Tessa dragged Phoenix away from the chaos, Colossus moved in for an attack of his own. He attempted a special Spteznaz take-down maneuver, grabbing Teon by the wrist and attempting to twist him in a way that would put him on the ground.

However, he was surprised to find out that Teon was a lot stronger than he looked. He was able to push Colossus back to the point where he fell to his knees. Being so used to having upper hand in terms of strength, this was a distressing turn.

"Augh! He is…strong!" grunted the Russian.

"KILL!" roared Teon as he twisted Colossus's arms.

"It's the MGH. Be careful, Colossus! He has more power than you think," said Tessa, who was pulling Phoenix away to the other side of the jet.

Colossus shot up and tried to push back, his determined gaze now locked with Teon's. He saw a strange red glow in the young man's eyes. The MGH was fueling a hidden power. It was a power that he would need more than strength to overcome.

Tessa successfully got Phoenix out of the way, leaving Colossus to occupy Teon. While she kept trying to rouse the unconscious psychic, Gabriel attacked the rest of the team in daring way. Storm, Psylocke, Beast, Gambit, and Professor Xavier were back on their feet after emerging from the crashed jet. However, Gabriel made sure they had nowhere to run.

In a display that would have made Quicksilver jealous, he started running around the beleaguered X-men at high speeds. Except it didn't look as though he was running. It was as if time and space itself was behaving differently around him, causing the air to swirl in a way that was very disorienting.

"Feeling dizzy yet, _peasants_?" taunted the young mutant.

"Oye, just what the world needs," groaned Psylocke as the wind bombarded them, "Another Quicksilver wannabe."

"It's the same attitude, but with a different method," said Beast, "It doesn't look like he's running. It looks like he's manipulating the temporal flow around him."

"That supposed to mean something?" said Gambit as he tried to cover his mouth from the swirling dust.

"It means stopping him will be more difficult," said Professor Xavier, who was already trying to use his telepathy, "Storm, see if you can do something about this dust storm."

"Just to be safe, I'll throw in something extra," said Storm with glowing eyes.

Having channeled her share of wind currents from earlier, Storm refocused her powers and intensified those winds. With them she formed darkened clouds overhead. Sensing the X-men needed to overwhelm Shaw's forces just as they had done to them, she did more than just fight back with her own burst of winds. She threw in some lightning and hailstones as well.

Gabriel was mildly impressed by this display. His blurred form became more jumbled as the swirling winds blew back towards him. The hail disoriented him as well. At high speeds, they hit him with a lot more force. However, the distorted space around his body ensured that they did little damage. It also ensured he could avoid the lightning and prepare for his next attack.

"You think nature has a chance against time and space itself?" she taunted, "Unfortunately for you, I aced all my physics exams!"

The Mexican mutant abruptly stopped his attack, seeming to reform himself atop the wreckage of the X-jet. His whole body still appeared to be a blur. His eyes were glowing with the same reddish hue as Teon's and with his sights set on Storm, he warped the area around his body in a completely different way.

"I don't need speed to beat you," he taunted, "Time is _always_ on my side!"

Xavier quickly sensed what the young man was doing. He watched as the blurred figure turned into a series of barely visible streaks. Those streaks went straight for Storm, who was still focused on keeping up her weather attack.

"Storm! Behind you!" shouted Xavier.

Storm didn't even get a chance to turn around. Gabriel came in at speeds that seemed so great that it was hard to see him. As these faint streaks swirled around Storm, she was struck dozens of times by a barrage of punches and kicks. It happened so fast that she didn't have time do defend herself.

"Augh! Umf! Ahhh!" she groaned as she keeled over.

"Stormy!" yelled Gambit as he took out his bow staff.

"I've got him!" said Psylocke confidently, "The little bugger is fast, but he can't outrun my mind."

"Don't need to," said Gabriel, his voice seeming to come from all directions.

Psylocke formed two psionic blades while trying to reach the young man telepathically. It was hard to pinpoint his location. He wasn't like Quicksilver, who just moved too fast to keep up with sometimes. It was like Gabriel was coming at them from all directions. Before she could even pinpoint his mind, she felt a sharp kick in the stomach along with several punches to the face.

"Ack! Hold still you little…" grunted Psylocke.

"You're assuming I _can_ at this point," laughed Gabriel.

He proceeded to strike Psylocke harder, knocking her to the ground. Gambit rushed to her aid, taking out a fresh deck of cards in the process.

"That ain't no way to treat a femme," said the Cajun.

"Don't know what a femme is, but I bet I can treat you worse," grinned Gabriel.

Leaving Psylocke writhing on the ground, Gabriel directed his attack towards Gambit. Just like before, there was no avoiding his attack. Gambit didn't get a chance to charge his cards or strike Gabriel with his bow staff. He was already getting his own dose of high-speed punches and kicks. Within moments, he was on the ground as well.

Gabriel was moving too fast to counter. They had no chance of beating him in hand-to-hand combat. Upon seeing both Gambit and Psylocke have little effect on Gabriel, Storm pushed through the discomfort and tried to form another wind attack. She was still sore. She even felt a tooth in her jaw loosened from the punch she took. Gritting through the pain, she prepared another attack.

"Hold on!" she urged them, "I'll try freeze him with a blizzard this time."

"You'll do no such thing," came another voice.

Before Storm could attack, she felt four tentacles slither around her waist. She was then yanked away and dragged away from her friends. She soon found herself hanging in the air next to Rogue, completely bound and immobilized by Kenji's form grip.

"Heya Storm! Welcome to mah nightmare," said Rogue, still struggling to get free.

"These children…they're very coordinated," grunted Storm, struggling for breath under Kenji's grip.

"That is our _second_ greatest strength," said Kenji as he pulled Rogue closer to him, "Having linked minds is quite helpful. But it's no substitute for raw power!"

Kenji now had Rogue and Storm subdued in his grip. Teon was matching Colossus's strength at every turn. Gabriel had Gambit and Psylocke at his mercy. Captain Freeman remained on the defensive against Idie while trying to keep Laurie from gathering herself.

It was not looking good for the X-men. Professor Xavier kept trying to reach their chaotic minds while Beast stood protectively in front of him. While this battle was unfolding, Sebastian Shaw was likely in the process of escaping.

"Any suggestions before I throw myself into this battle, Charles?" said Beast, watching anxiously as his fellow X-men were beaten down.

"I'm working on it, Beast. I'm picking up some new psychic activity," said Professor Xavier as he concentrated harder, "I sense Shaw is making his next move, but there's something different! Something I can't quite…"

Xavier was abruptly silenced by a powerful energy ball hitting Beast from above. It sent him tumbling back into the wreckage of the X-jet, charring some of his fur and leaving him wounded and dazed.

"Hank!" exclaimed Xavier.

"He'll live," said the source of the blast, "You on the other hand…well, you're psychic. You figure it out."

Professor Xavier looked up to see Jubilee hovering in mid-air. She had left Idie to handle Captain Freeman and set her sights on the man she once respected so much. Her body continued radiating steady bursts of ionic sparks. From this energy, she concentrated it in her hands. There was no hesitation in her actions. Her desires were the collective desires of the Inner Circle.

"Jubilee…listen to me. Shaw has you under his control. I can help you fight it!" urged Professor Xavier.

"I don't want your help. Don't you see? _This_ is what I'm supposed to be. _This_ is who I am now!" she exclaimed.

"That's the MGH talking. Don't let it control you!"

"It's not controlling me. It _is_ me. I am now something greater. The Inner Circle has united us in ways the X-men and District X can only dream of. We are just the first of many. And if you and your X-men stand in our way, then you will die!"

* * *

 **Villa Del Fuego North Perimeter**

"Cyke! Whatever battle plan you had for this mission, throw it out. We need something new!" barked an increasingly frustrated Wolverine.

"I'm working on it, Wolverine," grunted an equally frustrated Cyclops.

"Well work harder!" exclaimed Warpath.

X-Force was on their heels, staying on the defensive as they fought to overcome Chimera's attacks. Her abilities proved more potent than expected. She was clearly using MGH and it gave her more than enough power to pin them down. If that wasn't demoralizing enough, it looked like she wasn't even trying that hard.

"You X-men wannabes are a joke," laughed Chimera, "You must be out of shape because I was expecting something less boring."

"I don't kindly to jokes about my figure, bitch," scolded Emma Frost.

"Give me another minute. I'll make sure that figure of yours is the least of your worries!"

Chimera had X-Force surrounded. From the greenish aura surrounding her, she formed a hoard of dragon-like creatures that stood a good twenty feet tall. They roared and snarled as they swirled around X-Force, keeping them pinned back against the perimeter wall.

Warpath, Cyclops, and Wolverine attempted to fight off the onslaught. Warpath and Wolverine used their durable forms to strike menacing creatures. It was like trying to break glass that kept reforming itself. Every time they did damage to one dragon, another would reform. It was a losing battle.

Cyclops tried to attack the source by blasting Chimera with his optic blasts. None got through because she had several dragon-like creatures surrounding her like a protective cocoon. Even at his visor's highest settings it wasn't enough.

While he tried to blast her, Emma Frost used her diamond form to divert incoming attacks. Several dragons tried to bite her, but only ended up breaking their teeth on her hardened form. Now they were just using their foreheads to ram her, which was enough to throw her off and allow some attacks to reach Cyclops.

X-Force had no room to maneuver or reorganize. Cyclops kept trying to formulate a new strategy. It didn't help that they had an injured Angel and Domino on their hands. Nightcrawler was busy trying to treat their wounds. They were barely conscious at this point. Domino was in no condition to shoot and Angel was in no condition to fly. It limited their options against this tenacious foe.

"She's too powerful! It has to be the MGH," exclaimed the X-Force leader.

"No shit, Cyclops! What do you propose we do about it?" said Warpath as two dragons surrounded him and trapped him in a deadly vice grip.

"First off, we take the wounded out of the equation," he said assertively as he stopped his attack, "Nightcrawler, teleport Domino and Angel to safety. Get them to any shelter you can find."

"I've been trying, Cyclops. Zhis woman keeps fighting dirty," said Nightcrawler, who was using his agility to avoid being trapped like Warpath.

"Assume that means Shaw has slept with her," commented Emma, "Hold on, we'll cover you. When they both wakes up, tell them they owe us!"

Two new energy dragons formed right in front of Nightcrawler. He was trying to get to his wounded friends, who had since passed out. The two glowing creatures let out a deafening screech as they lunged towards the German mutant.

Emma got in their way and used her diamond form to obstruct their path. One hit her head on, causing it to spiral out of control. The other went around her and tried to devour Nightcrawler whole. Cyclops didn't let it get close enough, using an optic blast to obliterate the head of the beast. He focused several more blasts towards a few smaller dragons, which finally allowed Nightcrawler to reach Angel and Domino.

"Danke, mien friends! I vill return shortly," he said as he took Domino and Angel in his arms.

"Make it quick, Nightcrawler! This may be one mission where we'll have to pull back," said Cyclops as two new dragon creatures slithered around his lower legs.

"No way! We came here to stop Shaw and I refuse to leave before we wipe that snide grin off his face," yelled Emma Frost.

"Some struggles are not vorth zhe price, Emma. Zhis may be one of zhem," said Nightcrawler grimly.

With Domino and Angel secure, Nightcrawler teleported away just as five new dragon creatures tried to engulf him. This removed one problem from the equation. Now they could go on the offensive.

However, Chimera's energy dragons were changing tactics as well. Now instead of large, menacing dragons she was forming smaller, more numerous dragons to bind and constrict them. Cyclops and Emma were already surrounded so they couldn't move. Warpath was trapped as well. Chimera was leaving little room for surprises.

In his frustration, Wolverine was concerned less about this mission and more about taking this woman down. She reeked of Shaw's scent. It was almost as bad as the MGH in her system. Using his claws, he cut up and slashed his way through the energy dragons that were trying to engulf him. He fought his way towards where Warpath was being bound. As he looked towards the all too content Chimera, he hatched a new mission.

"I'm sick of waiting for Cyke to get his head outta his ass," grunted Wolverine as he sliced off the head of three small dragon creatures, "Hey Warpath, feel like doing something reckless?"

"Ungh! If it gets these glowing lizards out of my face, I'll give it a go," grunted Warpath.

Following instinct over strategy, Wolverine used a fresh hoard of attacking dragons as stepping stones to make his way up towards Warpath. He skillfully stomped on the head of the glowing green dragons, using his claws to slice through those that tried to throw off his balance.

They all failed miserably. As soon as he reached Warpath, the feral mutant used his claws the slice off the heads of the dragons that were keeping him bound. This caused them to losing their grip on the Native American mutant, which allowed him to use his strength to finally break free.

"Ah! That's better," said Warpath as he fell to the ground, "Was that the reckless part?"

"Hell no!" said Wolverine as he turned back towards Chimera, "If you wanna return the favor, grab me and throw me at the dragon bitch as hard as you can."

"Okay, I'll say it. That _is_ pretty reckless," said Warpath as he swatted away a few smaller dragons.

"You gonna argue with me? Or are you gonna do it?"

"Makes about as much sense as any plan at this point," said the Native American.

Giving Wolverine's plan little thought, Warpath did as Wolverine requested. He grabbed the shorter Canadian by the legs and held him up like a javelin. Wolverine bent his knees, staring down more dragons as they game his way. Then with all his might, Warpath threw the former living weapon at Chimera as hard as he could. Wolverine and the laws of physics did the rest.

Leading with his claws, Wolverine flew through the air at speeds that would have liquefied the internal organs of weaker men. His claws cut through the swarming dragons like dagger through mud. Along the way, they grazed and scratched him, tearing at his burley flesh. However, he was going so fast they had no hopes of stopping him. By the time he reached Chimera, her arrogant grin was replaced with shock.

"You deranged…" she began as she fell back.

"FUCK OFF, DARLIN!" barked Wolverine.

The greenish aura around Chimera shattered as Wolverine broke through. When he reached her, one of his claws drove right into her upper shoulder just below her collarbone. He missed the vital organs he was aiming for, but the gaping wound was enough to disorient the powerful woman in a major way.

With Chimera wounded, her dragon hoards seemed to feel it as well. Their green energy forms flickered, as if they were static on a radio. It caused them to release their grip on Cyclops and Emma. It also allowed the team to reorganize after being caught off guard.

"Well _that's_ one way to silence Shaw's playthings," said Emma as she brushed herself off.

"I'm tempted to point out how stupid that was, but I won't argue with results," said Cyclops as he adjusted his visor again.

"Come on! Let's go help him finish her," said Warpath.

Warpath was poised to charge through the remaining dragons and confront Chimera with Wolverine. The feral mutant seemed to have her in a vulnerable position. His claws were still buried inside her and she was getting disoriented. The greenish aura around her was flickering more violently as she tried to form new dragons to pry Wolverine off her. Even though these creatures wasted no time in tearing through the feral mutant's flesh, he waved off his teammates.

"What are you waiting for? Get off your asses and go after Shaw!" roared Wolverine.

"No way, Wolverine! She's using MGH. You can't take her on your own!" said Cyclops.

"Doesn't matter if I can't! I can take the punishment!" he snarled as a dragon bit right into his lower neck, "Save your bitching for Shaw! He deserves it more!"

Cyclops didn't care for such tactics. At the rate Chimera was tearing into Wolverine, he would be nothing but bone within a few minutes. However, he hadn't lost sight of their original mission. They had to get to Sebastian Shaw. Warpath and Emma Frost remembered as well.

"You heard him, Cyclops. He's okay with getting mauled by dragons," said Emma, grabbing him by the arm and urging him along.

"We wanted Shaw to make his move. He made it. Now let's make ours!" said Warpath.

Cyclops lingered a bit longer, watching as Chimera seethed with growing anger as she formed more dragons with which to consume Wolverine. By now half his upper body was devoured, but he kept his claws buried inside her. He would not let her go. She was completely focused on maiming Wolverine, leaving them a narrow window to act.

"This whole operation is falling apart," mused Cyclops, "There's no mission or plan anymore. We're just reacting to Shaw's tactics."

"This isn't the time for excuses. Plan or no plan, we need to get to Shaw!" said Emma, now pulling him along.

"Listen to your ex, as fucked up as that sounds," said Warpath as he ran up to the gate, "We'll work out a new plan while we're destroying Shaw's operation!"

"Shaw's probably expecting that. We can't just walk right into his trap," argued Cyclops.

"We can't just stand here and do nothing either.! Now grow a pair and help me blow open this gate. It's reinforced so we can't expect Shaw to just unlock it and…"

Then to Warpath's surprise, the gate unlocked itself and swung open. It caught X-Force completely by surprise once again. Emma, Warpath, and Cyclops looked on in confusion. This felt like yet another surprise from the Black King.

"You were saying, Warpath?" said Emma dryly.

"Don't start with me, Frost," grumbled the Native American, "What the hell is Shaw thinking? Is he _inviting_ us to come kick his ass?"

"No…it's something much worse," said Cyclops as noticed some activity in the distance.

From the front end of the villa, they could see it coming. The doors had burst open and dozens of people in dirty clothes came storming out. These weren't Hellfire guards, Mexican soldiers, or anything of the sort. They weren't armed or trained. They were civilians. And somehow Sebastian Shaw had inspired them to charge towards them with murderous rage.

"KILL THEM! KILL THEM ALL!"

"OUR QUEENS DEMAND IT! TEAR THEM APART!"

"FOR THE INNER CIRCLE!"

It was yet another dirty trick by Sebastian Shaw. Not content with sending someone like Chimera to attack them, he threw innocent people into the mix. To get to Shaw, X-Force would have to go through them. It was an impossible obstacle on a mission that was already falling apart.

"They're minds…they've been warped beyond recognition," said Emma, shifting out of her diamond form so she could use her telepathy.

"I take it back. We need a plan now," said Warpath, "Any idea, Cyclops?"

"Not this time," he said grimly, "As much as I hate to admit it, I think Shaw may win this round."

* * *

 **Meanwhile**

Professor Xavier braced himself as he Jubilee prepared to strike him with another energy blast. He kept trying to penetrate the collective mind that seemed to be guiding her and the five other mutants. It was no use. Her entire psyche revolved around the Inner Circle now. She was beyond reasoning with.

"On behalf of the Inner Circle, may you _burn_ in Hellfire," said Jubilee, her hands now glowing brilliantly.

With a simple gesture, the young mutant unleashed her attack. To her surprise, Professor Xavier didn't try to dodge it. He didn't have to. He already sensed help coming his way. Before the blinding ball of energy reached him, it was diverted by a telekinetic shield.

"Professor!" yelled Phoenix as she emerged from behind the jet with Tessa, "You should be running already."

"I had faith that you would sufficiently recover, Phoenix," he told her, "Are you up for a slight change in plan?"

"Not as much as I want to be," groaned Phoenix, still rubbing her sore head.

While Phoenix caught up with Professor Xavier, Jubilee flew in lower and sneered.

"That's just pathetic," she scoffed, "You think telekinesis can shield you from the Inner Circle's wrath?"

"You're still young, Jubilee. Even with your new power, you fail to pick up on certain details," said Xavier cryptically.

"What _details_?" she said dryly.

In her arrogant state, she didn't notice a figure emerging from behind. Beast, who she had blasted earlier, recovered sooner than she expected. While she was focused on Xavier, he climbed atop the wreckage of the X-jet and waited for her to lower herself into position. Then when she wasn't looking, he pounced on her from behind.

"That would be me!" he proclaimed.

"What the-ahhhhhh!" she exclaimed.

Beast jumped into the air and landed right on her back. With his ape-like arms, he grasped her in a powerful grip. He held her arms so she couldn't aim them and he used his legs to keep her legs from thrashing. His weight and his grip threw her off, causing her to tumble through the air while firing off chaotic energy blasts from her hands.

"Errrrrr! Get off me!" yelled Jubilee.

"It would seem you can only channel your energy through your hands," he said as he tightened his hold on her, "As such, I have no intention of letting you use them."

Jubilee flew chaotically through the air, trying to shake Beast off. She passed Idie and Captain Freeman in the process, who was still enduring her ice and fire attacks. Colossus and Teon were still in locked in a battle of strength. Gambit and Psylocke were still trying to fight off Gabriel as he used his speed warp attacks to subdue them. All these battles were waged in the shadow of Kenji, who had Rogue and Storm in his grip.

This battle was deteriorating in so many ways. The X-men were overwhelmed. These six young mutants were warped by MGH and the Inner Circle. They were allowing Sebastian Shaw to complete whatever devious endeavor he had crafted. Professor Xavier sensed in them this mysterious collective psyche that was driving them. While he could not break through it, he could trace it.

"We cannot win this battle directly. Their powers are too great and their minds are too closely linked," said Professor Xavier, still scanning with his telepathy.

"Yes, I've been sensing it too," said Tessa, "So how do we win _indirectly_?"

"By going to the source," said Xavier strongly, "I've been trying to track it since we landed. Shaw is not a telepath. This link must be the work of the Wyngarde sisters. Only they have the knowledge and skills to create such an effect."

"That goes without saying," said Phoenix, still trying to catch up after being so dazed, "So if they're the source, why don't we find them and take them out?"

"That's what I've been working on," he said, "I think I can trace their location. They haven't left the villa yet, but they are planning to."

"There's no way it would be _that_ easy," Tessa pointed out.

"It isn't," Xavier affirmed, "I sense some other force at work. I'm not sure if it's coming from the Wyngardes, but it's somehow linked to Jubilee and these five mutants."

"Well if you can point me in the right direction, I can take us to it," said Phoenix, "I can complain about my crippling migraine later."

"I'll uplink my mind with yours," said Xavier as he concentrated harder, "We had best move quickly!"

"What about the others?" wondered Tessa as she looked back towards the struggling X-men.

"I just informed Captain Freeman about this. I trust he'll make the appropriate choices."

Having little time to debate, Phoenix formed a new telekinetic bubble around the Professor and Tessa. With it, they levitated into the air and started making their way towards the villa.

Along the way, they passed over Kenji. He tried to attack with his tentacles, but Storm made sure he didn't reach them. She used the storm clouds above to strike him with lightning, ensuring that they could escape.

"Hurry Charles! We'll keep them occupied," yelled Storm.

"Ungh! Speak for yourself, Storm," groaned Rogue, who was still stuck in Kenji's grip.

Professor Xavier's departure with Phoenix and Tessa didn't go unnoticed by the five mutants. They understood their mission was not complete. They needed to buy time. While most were preoccupied with other X-men, Laurie took on a new form. Now in the shame of a dragonfly-like creature, she tried to catch up to her fleeing enemies.

"No! The wrath of the Inner Circle must be complete!" she yelled.

Captain Freeman notice Laurie coming his way on her route towards Professor Xavier. Having just heard Xavier's plan via telepathy, he understood the plan had to change. This was their chance to show that they could be a team and accomplish their mission.

"You picked a hell of a time to show some balls, Xavier," said Captain Freeman, who was still enduring a fire blast from Idie, "It's time I return the favor."

"Whatever you're planning, I won't let it happen!" yelled Idie.

"Kid, you've got a lot to learn about acting tough," quipped the Green Beret.

With a wave of fire still surrounding the mutant soldier, Captain Freeman broke away from Idie. Then in a bold maneuver, he ran right up into the path of the low flying Laurie. Just as she was about to pass over him, he adapted his legs so that he could jump higher than any normal human could ever hope to.

Following his soldier instincts, he timed it just wright and grabbed onto one of Laurie's dragonfly wings. With his strength, he bent the wing around and forced Laurie to change course against her will.

"Hey! What are you-WHOA!" she exclaimed.

Laurie's eyes widened as she made an unexpected U-turn, arcing around so that she was right in Idie's path. The young African girl was just as surprised and wasn't able to get out of the way. Laurie collided with her, sending Idie crashing to the ground.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" she cried out.

"Not so tough now, eh?" grinned Captain Freeman.

"You know you can't win like this," said Laurie who was still trying to shake him off, "You _will_ fall! All those who oppose the Inner Circle must fall!"

"We'll see about that," said Captain Freeman, "Your Inner Circle buddies are forgetting that the X-men have something they didn't have the last time you faced them!"

"Oh yeah? What's that?" scoffed Laurie.

"Backup," grinned Captain Freeman.

Despite Laurie flying wildly through the air, Captain Freeman held on and refocused his efforts. Looking over towards Psylocke, who still had her hands full with Gabriel, he sent out a vital message.

' _Psylocke, are you in too much pain to relay a message. That girl burned out my radio.'_

' _This bloke annoying the hell out of me, but I can try. Why?'_

' _I need you to get in touch with the MSA units that are closing in. Let the rest of the X-men hear this as well. I have a plan! And if it works, we just might hate each other a little less.'_

* * *

 **Villa Del Fuego – Roof**

Everything was going quite smoothly for Sebastian Shaw. He subdued the X-men on one front and overwhelmed X-Force on the other. All the while the production and synthesis of this new incarnation of MGH was completed. Now he and the Wyngarde sisters were ready to spread MGH to the mutant masses. It promised to take the Inner Circle's powers to new heights.

Having done all they needed to do at this location, Sebastian Shaw called in a covert helicopter transport compliments of some friends he had in very high places. While the X-men and X-Force were preoccupied, the helicopter arrived over the villa and landed on the roof. The rest of the Hellfire guards and researchers had since cleared out. Shaw gathered every last dose of MGH and stored them in a large metal briefcase. Now on the roof with Regan and Marginique, they prepared to depart.

"You think it wasn't too much? Sending our followers after X-Force?" questioned Regan.

"Relax. They have a _public image_ to maintain, remember?" said Martinique dryly, "They won't hurt civilians, even if they are heeding our whims."

"Did I say I was concerned?" quipped Regan, "I'm just worried they won't leave anything left for us to enjoy before we kill them."

"For your sake and that of the Inner Circle, your minions should leave nothing but corpses in their wake," said Shaw as he led them to the hatch of the helicopter, "Trust me when I say the X-men and their affiliates are better off dead."

"Don't tell me you wouldn't mind torturing them before killing them," said Martinique.

"Nothing would make me happier, but there are some luxurious that even I can't afford," he said in a more serious tone, "MGH isn't just a plan for the Inner Circle. It's a business arrangement. I have a very important client who helped make this possible. That same client will aid us in mass producing MGH. With it, we'll be able to bring many more mutants into the Inner Circle's collective."

"Ah yes, this mystery _client_ of yours," joked Martinique, "Sometimes I wonder if you're pulling his strings or if he's pulling yours."

"Don't be foolish, my queen," scoffed Sebastian Shaw he reached the helicopter hatch, "I'm the Black King. I never deal with a client that can betray me. If he knows what's good for him, he'll do as he's told. He knows that I'm always prepared."

Flushed with confidence, the Black King opened the hatch to helicopter. He was then met with something that completely threw off his plan. A dead body tumbled out through the hatch. It was the body of the pilot, his neck and torso slashed with what looked like claw marks. Shaw instinctively stepped back as the body limply fell to the roof.

"What is this?" exclaimed the Black King.

"Bet you weren't prepared for _that_ ," came an ominous voice from inside the helicopter.

Sebastian Shaw looked up and saw a figure emerging from within the aircraft. He was wearing what looked like a ninja outfit with Japanese symbols on the front and back. He had unusual hair, consisting of a mohawk-like style. He was lean, yet heavily toned. He also looked menacing, making it clear that he was the one that maimed the pilot.

"Who are you?" he demanded, "Did Leland or Pierce send you?"

"No," he said, "I am Daken Yashida. I am here to terminate a business arrangement on behalf of my mentor."

Before Shaw could express his outrage, Daken clenched his fist to reveal two adamantium claws. With agility too swift to avoid, he lunged forth and slashed at Shaw's arm. He easily severed it from just below his elbow, causing him to drop the metal briefcase he was holding and fall to his knees in agony.

"ARRRRGGGHHHHHH!" he cried out as he clutched his bleeding arm.

"Thanks for finishing our work, Mr. Shaw," grinned Daken as he took the metal briefcase, "Your Inner Circle has served us well, but unfortunately for you MGH is more than a business…not that you'll be around to appreciate it."

* * *

 **Up next: Drug War Part 3**


	9. Issue 157: Drug War Part 3

**Issue #157  
Drug War Part 3**

* * *

 _Born with extraordinary powers, mutants live in a world that hates and fears them. Professor Charles Xavier formed the X-men to fight for peace and understanding. The fight escalated to a point where he forged a partnership with the government, which he dubbed the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. With it, he hopes to show that humans and mutants can work together for the common good._

 _So far, the partnership has had mixed results. Now, it needs to overcome a foe for whom the human/mutant conflict is a means of profit. Sebastian Shaw has used his vast resources to create Mutant Growth Hormone, a powerful drug that can enhance mutant abilities. They've already seen its effects on young mutants like Beak. Shaw seems intent on using it to control other mutants who are dissatisfied with Charles Xavier's efforts._

 _Recently, the X-men uncovered his operation and organized an attack on his villa in Mexico. At the same time, X-Force learned of Shaw's role and planned an attack of their own. Yet despite these dual threats, Shaw unleashed a terrifying assault that rendered both teams powerless._

 _Using a new batch of MGH, Shaw empowered six mutants, including Jubilee, to attack the X-men and X-Force. Not only were their powers enhanced, but their minds became part of a collective forged by Martinique and Regan Wyngarde. As one mind, they were compelled to serve the Inner Circle. However, as Shaw was preparing escape, he was surprised by a mysterious man named Daken Yashida. Now, more than just Shaw's operation is at risk._

* * *

 **Villa Del Fuego – Elevators**

Phoenix, Tessa, and Professor Xavier ascended through the elaborate villa in search of Sebastian Shaw. They were surprised to discover that most of his forces had cleared out. Aside from a few guards, they faced little resistance. It hinted that Shaw was preparing to escape and take his MGH operation elsewhere. They couldn't let that happen. The X-men and the MSA had to bring him to justice.

Following Professor Charles Xavier's psychic signal, Phoenix led them up through the sealed elevator shafts in a telekinetic bubble. Shaw had locked down most of the villa, but not enough to stop them. Phoenix, frustrated after being knocked out earlier, pushed harder by using her telekinesis to blow through the sealed doors and ascend to the roof where Shaw was making his escape.

"We're almost there. I sense that Shaw hasn't left yet," said Tessa anxiously.

"I'll take your word for it. My head is still killing me from blowing through these overpriced doors," grunted Phoenix as they ascended faster.

"You'll feel much better when we take that bastard down," said Tessa strongly, "He _always_ has an escape plan. He's _always_ prepared to run. We can't let him slip away. He'll only keep tormenting us!"

"It may be a bit more complicated than that, Tessa," said Xavier, who was trying to concentrate over the commotion.

"Complicated…a word I love to hate," groaned Phoenix.

"Please don't tell me that Shaw is pulling another trick on us," said Tessa grimly, "My telepathy is telling me he's still here."

"He is," assured Professor Xavier, "But something or _someone_ else has entered the picture. I suspect this might be one instance where Shaw is the one being tricked."

Tessa looked at Professor Xavier curiously. She tried scanning herself to see what he was detecting. There was definitely psychic interference. She expected it to be one of Shaw's many defenses. She couldn't punch through it. Xavier, being a more skilled telepath, said saying something was different, but the idea of someone getting the better of Sebastian Shaw seemed too outrageous to be true.

"If someone is screwing Shaw over, then I want to be there to see it," said Phoenix as she picked up speed, "Hold on! We're almost there. If we're lucky, he's being tormented in a way that's _long_ overdue."

* * *

 **Villa Del Fuego – Roof**

"Errrrrrrrr! Treacherous bastard!" seethed the Black King while clutching his arm.

"Oh come now, Shaw. Don't tell me you didn't see this coming," grinned Daken, all too satisfied by the sight of Sebastian Shaw suffering.

"You and that mentor of yours will pay! I swear by the power of the Inner Circle, you will burn in a pit of Hellfire!"

Sebastian Shaw had lost control. Everything had gone so perfectly. Then with a single betrayal, it all came crashing down.

He was ready to make his escape. Then one of his business partners decided to betray him. It wasn't subtle either. He sent a mysterious young man with adamantium claws to cut off his arm and take the new versions of MGH from him. It was so humiliating that it was _sacrilege_. He was the Black King. No one dared betray him.

While Shaw sat writhing on the roof clutching his bleeding arm, his two Black Queens came to his aid. Martinique and Regan knelt down to address his wound. The bleeding left Shaw dazed and weakened. It seemed as though all the luxury they had grown so fond of was in jeopardy.

"My king! Are you…" began Regan.

"Spare me your petty concern," grunted Shaw, "Make yourselves useful and mind rape that man until he's comatose!"

"It shall be done, my king," said Regan as she stood up and gazed towards Daken.

"No sister…it shall not," said Martinique in an oddly flat tone.

While her back was turned, Regan didn't see her sister take out a small taser device from a pocket in her cape. With it, she jammed the device right into her younger sister's back. It sent a paralyzing surge through her body, which was almost as painful as the reveal of another betrayal.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Regan cried out as she fell limply to the roof.

"You always were the gullible one," grinned Martinique, "No wonder Grandpa loved me more."

Her words reverberated painfully for both Regan and Shaw. Regan was in too much pain to express her outrage. Her expression seethed with an anger that even a powerful mind couldn't process. Her own flesh and blood had just betrayed her. For Shaw, it was yet another act of treachery to undermine his power.

"Martinique…you dare defy the Inner Circle?" seethed Shaw, growing pale from his blood loss.

"How else could we pull this off so efficiently?" she said snidely as she stood over Shaw and her sister, "You relied on me and my sister to be your psychic guardians. Too bad my sister was the weaker one. Even she didn't know I was feeding intelligence to an outside source."

"That shouldn't have been possible," said the Black King, "Not after the MGH…"

"Yeah, about that…I never liked you having that kind of leverage. I wasn't the only one either," said Martinique, "That's why I went to the source and got a blend that _didn't_ include your little mind-bending collective."

"The rest was pure theatre. A performance worthy of Shakespeare himself," said Daken as he stepped out of the jet to meet up with Martinique.

"Thank you, my darling. I'll be sure to reward you with another performance later," said Martinique with feline sass.

As if to further mock Shaw and Regan, Martinique slithered her arms around Daken and kissed him in an obscenely decadent manner. Daken matched her lustful ferocity, savoring every moment of this triumph. It was without a doubt the _second_ -best experience that came about from this ploy.

"Sister…how could you?" groaned Regan, her body still tense from the shock.

"Sorry Regan, but some pleasures just aren't meant to be shared," said Martinique, not taking her eyes off Daken.

"Hnn…damn you!" she said as she tried unsuccessfully to lash out at her sister.

"Don't be such a spoiled sport," Martinique scoffed, "I'm tired of propping you up. The collective mind that we created was a joke. It was never going to serve our kind. It was only going to serve Shaw."

"Speaking of which, that collective has served its purpose," said Daken, "Thanks to a special ingredient my mentor added, your six test subjects should start feeling the effects within minutes. I imagine they'll be quite upset with you."

"You devious peasant!" roared Shaw.

Sebastian Shaw groaned through his pain and tried to attack the traitorous deviants before him. He could barely stand before Martinique kicked him with the heel of her stiletto boots, knocking him flat on his back.

"Unn…" the Black King groaned in defeat.

"Sorry, your highness," said Martinique in a mocking tone, "This business of yours is officially bankrupt. Enjoy the wrath of your _many_ enemies."

"If possible, take comfort in the knowledge that your research will do some good in this world," said Daken as he led Martinique back into the helicopter, "It's not the kind of good a greedy businessman like you will appreciate, but some things are just more important than turning a profit."

Daken cast Shaw and Regan one last sneer before closing the hatch to the helicopter. Moments later, it took off and ascended rapidly into the sky. The Black King could only watch as they escaped along with any hopes of a resurgent Inner Circle. He had been defeated and for once, it wasn't because of the X-men. Someone far more twisted and cunning had bested him.

By now Shaw had lost so much blood that he was on the verge of passing out. He was in no condition to fight or flee. He and Regan were at the mercy of their enemies. As a result, they weren't too surprised when the door to the roof burst open. Shaw didn't even bother turning around to see Professor Xavier, Phoenix, and Tessa storm the roof.

"Whoa! Looks like we missed out on the fun," said Phoenix as she took in Shaw's condition.

"That disturbance I sensed…it's gone," said Xavier as he frantically scanned the area.

"Professor Xavier and his X-men…you picked a horrible time to be late for once," said Shaw bitterly.

"I'm tempted to call this is bittersweet, but I'll stick with bitter," said Tessa as she stood over Shaw's form, "You've tormented me too much to care about circumstances, Shaw."

"You should, _Tessa_ ," said Shaw in a weaker tone, "The enemies of the Inner Circle will always fall. It's only a matter of time."

"Time is one thing you'll have plenty of," said Phoenix who couldn't help but grin smugly, "Unlike last time, we have friends in high places. You won't escape justice this time. We even have one of you underdressed associates to testify against you. Knowing you Inner Circle types, I'm sure she won't want to share a cell with you."

Phoenix and Tessa turned towards Regan, who was lying next to the Black King. She was still reeling from the shock her traitorous sister gave her. However, the idea of going down with Sebastian Shaw disgusted her almost as much as Martinique's betrayal. Her sister's treachery could not go unanswered and that meant avoiding time in prison.

"Like hell I will!" spat Regan, "Screw this Inner Circle shit. I've got my own enemies now."

"I don't think you're in a position to escape, Miss Wyngarde," said Tessa.

"If you know my name, then you also know I already have," she said cryptically.

Then, to their chagrin, Regan Wyngarde disappeared. It was as if she had never been there in the first place. Phoenix and Tessa quickly scanned the area for her mind, but it was already long gone. Given who her grandfather was, it was hardly surprising.

"Illusions…of course," grumbled Phoenix, "And my head is still too sore to find her."

"Let her go, Phoenix," said Tessa, not taking her gaze off Shaw, "We still have our big fish. Let's make sure we reel him in so the world can see what he's done. I can already sense the MSA closing in."

"Hope they brought some news cameras. For once, a media frenzy will play to our advantage."

Shaw had since passed out from blood loss. Phoenix and Tessa reluctantly tended to him so that he stayed alive for his long overdue appointment with justice. Death was too easy for him. He had to face justice. It would be good for the X-men, the MSA, and mutants everywhere.

While Shaw's capture was a victory, Professor Xavier remained curious. He could already see helicopters and combat vehicles from the MSA closing in. He suspected it was Captain Freeman taking charge, exactly as he hoped. However, there he could see one other aircraft in the distance that had long since left.

He sensed a much more convoluted plot at work here. Shaw's defeat couldn't have happened this easily. There were other forces at work here and they may be every bit as dangerous.

"Professor? I assume you're just holding back your excitement. We still have work to do," said Phoenix, breaking Xavier from his daze.

"Indeed we do," said Xavier distantly, "I'll give General Grimshaw a call. I'm sure he'll be eager to deliver this news to the President."

"What about the others?" asked Tessa, "Shouldn't we go back and help them?"

"With Shaw's defeat, I sense they won't need it."

* * *

 **Villa Del Fuego Northside Perimeter**

The battle against Jubilee, Laurie, Gabriel, Kenji, Teon, and Idie had taken an unexpected turn. The X-men were fighting a losing battle after the Professor left with Phoenix and Tessa. Their coordinated attacks had taken a toll.

Jubilee was able to throw Beast off her back and into Kenji's clutches. He had since wrapped Storm and Rogue up in a cocoon-like structure, ensuring they couldn't escape or use their powers. Gambit and Psylocke kept trying to disrupt Gabriel's speed attacks. At one point, he knocked Psylocke out, leaving Gambit on his knees using his bow staff to remain upright.

At the same time Colossus, was driven back by Teon, who kept coordinating with Idie. Using her ice and fire powers, she disoriented the Russian mutant so Teon could get in a few devastating blows. At one point, Idie used her ice powers to create a thick layer of frost around his metal skin.

"So c-c-cold. Even for a R-R-Russian," grunted Colossus as he tried to divert Idie's ice blast.

"Go, Teon! Break him!" urged Idie.

"FIGHT!" roared Teon as he moved in and attacked with a punishing right cross.

Colossus went up to block the attack. This time when Teon struck his arm, he felt a distinct snap. Even through his metal skin, the bones and flesh beneath broke in a way that put him in a world of pain.

"ARRRRGGGHHHHH!" exclaimed the Russian.

"My heavens…she made his metal skin brittle," gasped Beast, who was trying to escape Kenji's tentacles, "Hang on, my friend! I will assist you!"

"You'll watch him suffer and hate every moment of it," seethed Kenji.

Beast had been using his agility to avoid being completely smothered like Rogue and Storm. Upon seeing Colossus's injury, he attempted to leap out of his swarm of tentacle appendages completely. That ended up being a poor decision.

Before he was even a few feet off the ground, Kenji's tentacles slithered around his feet and pulled him back. Beast ended up falling flat on his face, allowing Kenji to completely encase him. Beast could only watch as Colossus writhed under Teon and Idie's menacing presence. He was then pulled up into the air so that he was suspended next to Rogue and Storm.

"Welcome to the club, Beast. Uncomfortable yet?" said Rogue dryly with only her face showing through the tentacles.

"It's not the most awkward position I've been in, but it's close," grunted Beast as more of Kenji's tentacles wrapped around him.

"Any chance you could lend a hand to myself or Colossus, Storm?" asked Beast, "I know you're in a tight spot, but we could use some help from Mother Nature."

"I'm…trying," grunted Storm, who was very short of breath, "This boy…not letting me concentrate. Can't-mmf!"

Storm was silenced by one of Kenji's tentacles shoving itself right into her mouth. It rendered her even less inclined to summon any help from the weather. It was Kenji's way of proving that he was in control.

"My collection is growing," seethed Kenji from within his oversized humanoid form, "Once I have your friends, I shall make your deaths my greatest masterpiece!"

"Hnn…if this is your brand of art, you're even sicker than you look," grunted Rogue.

"Belittling our adversaries is only making it worse, Rogue," said Beast as he felt the tentacles around him tighten.

"Errr! Got a better idea?" said Rogue, getting short of breath as well, "Where in the heck is Captain Freeman? Ah thought he-mmf!"

Rogue was silenced just as Storm had been. Kenji forced one of his tentacles into her mouth to shut her up, leaving her at his mercy.

"No _ideas_ will save you now," scoffed Kenji, "We are the Lights of the Inner Circle! We are linked by a power you cannot possibly understand! You can never hope to…"

"KENJI LOOK OUT!"

The Japanese mutant was cut off by an unexpected cry from above. Kenji was so focused on keeping Beast, Rogue, and Storm restrained that he didn't notice an ominous shadow passing over him. When he looked up, he saw the large figure of Laurie spiraling out of control.

On her back was Captain Freeman, who was using the dragonfly-like wings she formed to direct her chaotic descent. He directed her right into the chest of the oversized creature Kenji had created. That was also the area where Kenji himself resided. From within this hulking monstrosity, his eyes widened as Laurie crashed into him head on.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" they both yelled out.

The impact that followed caused much of Kenji's large form to scatter like wet mud. The humanoid figure he form dissolved as his amorphous form mixed with Laurie's. As they tumbled roughly to the ground, the many tentacles Kenji formed dissolved. That freed Rogue, Storm, and Beast from their confines. As they fell to the ground, Captain Freeman was there to meet up with them. Having leapt off Laurie's back before she and Kenji collided, he rushed to their aid.

"Sorry I'm late guys. That crazy fish girl was a fighter," said Captain Freeman as he and Beast helped Storm stay upright.

"No worries, Captain. Your timing was impeccable," said Beast.

"I would have preferred it to be a few moments earlier," said Storm, still coughing up pieces of dissolved tentacle.

"I'll work on that for future missions," assured the Green Beret, "But first, I plan on ending this mission on a high note!"

The mutant soldier earned some much-needed credibility with this latest stunt. Storm and Beast were more inclined to believe him. However, these six mutants weren't going to make it easy for him.

"The only thing you'll end is your life!" seethed Jubilee, now flying towards them at high speeds, "I'll make you wish Kenji had crushed you!"

In her blind rage, Jubilee formed another glowing ball of energy in her hands. Without taking careful aim, she unleashed it right towards them. Captain Freeman prepared to shield Storm and Beast with his adaptive form. This time, though, he didn't have to.

Rogue came rushing in from the side and stepped in front of the incoming blast. But instead of just absorbing it, she punched it with her enhanced strength. That caused the ball of energy to fly right back towards Jubilee. Since she was going so fast, she couldn't avoid it. When it struck, it sent her flying in the other direction.

"What the-UNGH!" she exclaimed.

"Sorry Ah had to do that Jubes, but that pal of yours left a nasty taste in mah mouth. Ah had to take it out on someone," said Rogue as she rubbed her fist.

"Thanks, Rogue. It's good to know you're still pissed off enough to fight," said Captain Freeman with a grin.

"Ah don't care if it is Jubilee and a bunch of kids. They're playmates with Shaw. Someone's gotta give them a timeout," she said strongly.

Now more emboldened they turned their attention to Gabriel, Idie, and Teon. The sudden shift in the battle hadn't gone unnoticed, either. The X-men weren't as disorganized or inept as they expected. They continued undermining the Inner Circle. This could not stand. Their king and queen wouldn't allow it.

"You're starting to waste my time! And for me, that's saying something!" said Gabriel, who briefly halted his attack on Gambit and Psylocke.

"You're young. You got all the time in the world to get your ass kicked," taunted Rogue as she approached the younger mutant.

"Ha! You speak to me as if I was a child."

"Can you blame her? You sure hit like a child," said Gambit, who was still leaning on his bow staff, "Gambit's taken a worse beating from ex-girlfriend."

With his impatience festering, Gabriel turned around and struck Gambit one last time to spite him. He moved in blur, running in and striking Gambit across the face with a left hook. He even grabbed Gambit's bow staff from him as an additional taunt.

"Ha! How's that for a child?" grinned Gabriel as he twirled the stolen bow staff, "Face it, X-men. I'm too fast. You can't trick me!"

"Don't need to, mon ami. I already have," said Gambit, grinning ominously as he wiped some blood off his face.

Gabriel looked at the Cajun mutant strangely. Then he realized the bow staff he took from Gambit was glowing.

"Huh? Whoa shi-" he began, but he never finished.

For once, he wasn't fast enough to react. The bow staff and the resulting force blew him a back nearly ten feet. Gambit made sure it didn't explode with lethal force, but it was forceful enough to render the young man daze and moderately wounded.

Gambit kept smiling as Rogue walked over, stepping on the young man's chest in the process before she helped him up. Despite Shaw's power and influence, these young mutants were still just kids.

"Real smooth, sugah. Probably the most satisfying bang all day," said Rogue.

"That remains to be seen," said the Cajun wryly.

"Ugh…when you're done with the bedroom humor, mind lending me a hand?" said Psylocke, who was a bit more battered than Gambit.

"What's the matter, Bets? Take one too many punches from a freshman boy?" teased Rogue as she helped her up.

"Don't start with me, Rogue. I think that little bugger groped me a few times," muttered Psylocke.

The X-men continued to regain their composure. Now only Idie and Teon were left to fight. Leaving the ailing Colossus behind, they focused on more pressing targets. Despite being outnumbered and frustrated, they stood ready to attack. The Inner Circle would not allow defeat.

"Your loyalty only goes so far," commented Colossus, still clutching his broken arm, "You're inexperienced and deluded. Is the Inner Circle really worth fighting for?"

"You hear that, Teon? They think they have the upper hand now. Let's prove them wrong!" said Idie in a determined tone.

"Grrrrrr! Fight!" barked Teon.

The two young mutants were about to launch their attack. Captain Freeman, Storm, Beast, Rogue, Colossus, Gambit, and Psylocke stood ready to confront them. However, the attack never came.

A strange feeling suddenly came over Idie and Teon. The feeling quickly spread to Jubilee, Laurie, Gabriel, and Kenji. Their eyes started glowing in a dark red hue. This glow flickered erratically as the six young mutants were overcome with a paralyzing nausea.

"Arrrrrggggghhhh! My stomach!" exclaimed Gabriel.

"It burns! Everything burns!" cried Idie.

"So much pain…can't stand it!" gasped Kenji as his globular form shrank.

"What's happening? Can't think…" grunted Laurie.

"The power…fading," said Jubilee weakly.

Within minutes they were all lying on the ground, writhing in distress. As their bodies contorted and withered, their physiology shifted.

Teon and Kenji shrank, returning to somewhat normal forms. Teon was still a bit bigger and Kenji still had tentacles for hands, but they looked a lot less monstrous. Laurie underwent a similar transformation. She returned to the form of a teenage girl, but her scaly blue skin remained. Gabriel kept vibrating in a blur for a few moments. At one point the blur got so extreme that he seemed to disappear. Then he settled again, except when all was said and done his final form looked older than before. Rather than a 15-year-old boy, he looked like he was at least 23 now. Jubilee was the last to settle and her changes were subtler.

As the X-men watched this scene unfold, they carefully approached the six young mutants. They hovered around Jubilee, whose glowing skin kept flickering. As it faded, her old flesh and blood form returned. However, the glowing didn't stop in her eyes. Even as the dark red hue faded, a sparking yellowish glow lingered. It was as if the glow was now part of her.

"Hnn…" was all she got out.

"Go ahead and rest, Jubilee. It's over now," said Storm as she and Beast tended to her.

"Wait, what in the hell just happened? Did Shaw given them a bad batch of Kick or something?" asked Remy.

"Possible, but doubtful," said Beast as he processed this new development, "I suspect Charles, Tessa, and Phoenix know more than we do."

"Well whatever they did, remind me to thank them. I wasn't up for another round," said Psylocke, who was still very sore from the beating she took.

"Somehow, I don't think this was something they did," said Beast, "It almost seemed timed. As if this batch of MGH was supposed to wear off and cause its users to perish."

"Well then that raises a new problem. We gotta get these kids some medical attention," said Rogue as she rushed towards the other mutants.

"Don't worry. The medical attention is coming to us," said Captain Freeman.

"What do you mean?" asked Storm.

"Remember that message I had Psylocke send? The MSA brought more than just guns with them. I'll make sure these kids get the care they need. There's still a hell of a mess here and we'll need help cleaning it up."

As Captain Freeman announced this, they heard helicopters and armored vehicles in the distance. The MSA was arriving and this time it wasn't too late. It came as a major relief. Battered and dazed, they were content to let the authorities take care of the rest. It was a benefit they hadn't had a chance to appreciate lately. This was a good time for the Mutant Monitoring Initiative to start paying dividends. They all needed it.

* * *

 **Meanwhile**

"KILL THEM! MAIM THEM! FOR THE HONOR OF OUR QUEENS!"

"I don't know who your queens are, but I assume they're both sadistic bitches," grunted a frustrated Emma Frost.

"You're _not_ helping, Frost," groaned an equally frustrated Warpath.

"Neither are you," she retorted.

X-Force had been completely overwhelmed. Chimera injured Angel and Domino. Nightcrawler still hadn't returned after teleporting them away to safety. Even though Wolverine had Chimera wounded, Shaw made sure they had little chance of obstructing his plans. He had opened his gates and unleashed dozens of deluded civilians. Their minds had been ravaged by a sadistic telepath and in their enraged state they tore into Cyclops, Warpath, and Emma Frost. It was a battle they had little chance of winning.

They were forced to retreat. Some tried to leap on top of Warpath and pin him down. Others tried to do the same with Emma Frost, who was back in her diamond form. Their respective durability protected them, but they were reluctant to strike back.

Cyclops tried to drive them back by using his optic blasts to carve ditches in the ground. This did little to slow them down. The mindless hoards showed no regard for their own bodies as they literally threw themselves at X-Force. These weren't Hellfire guards or Shaw's private goons. These were civilians. These were old men, teenage girls, and everything in between. They looked sick rather than blindly loyal.

"We have to fall back. There's too many of them!" yelled Cyclops as several angry citizens lunged towards him.

"We've been doing that and it isn't working!" barked Warpath as he shoved a few others aside, "Any chance we can hit them with a psychic attack?"

"What do you think I've been _trying_?" grunted Emma, who shifted out of her diamond form for a moment, "Their minds have been clouded. It's like they're drug addicts in withdraw."

"Can get around it if we cover you?" asked Cyclops as he fired a few light optic blasts at some civilians trying to attack Emma.

"If it was just a few minds, yes. But this many? That's pushing it!" she said.

"Then what's Plan C?" exclaimed Warpath.

Cyclops kept leading Warpath and Emma back towards where Wolverine was fighting Chimera. He understood and shared their frustration. None of what they had done was not working. They needed another plan and he couldn't come up with one. Looking out over these mindless hoards, he saw a barrier they couldn't get around. Shaw made sure of it. This whole operation was falling apart. For all they knew, Shaw had already escaped.

While Cyclops struggled to formulate a new plan, the battle between Wolverine and Chimera took an unexpected turn. Wolverine still had his claws buried in Chimera's shoulder. She had been fighting to shove him off by unleashing hordes of green energy dragons on him. It wounded and scarred him, but he never let go. He kept wounding her further, twisting his claws and trying to subdue her. The MGH in her system made her resilient, but she had her limits and it was only a matter of who reached theirs first.

"Hnn…my dragons! Don't abandon me now! Rip this creature's flesh from his bones!" yelled Chimera through a strained voice.

"Errrrrrrrr! You ain't lookin' so hot…even in that dress!" grunted Wolverine as he twisted his claws even more, "Why don't you do us both a favor and just quit?"

Wolverine reached through the dozens of small energy dragons biting away at his body and grasped Chimera by the neck. Now on one knee, she tried reaching for him as well. Something was straining her and it wasn't just her wounds. It all culminated when eyes flashed dark red. As it happened, her body went ridged and her dragon hoards started flickering.

"No! My power…it's starting to…AHHHHHHHHHHH!" she cried out.

"Guess that answers that," said Wolverine, surprised by this sudden turn.

He finally pulled his claw out, allowing blood to flow from her wounds. As he stumbled back he met up with Cyclops, Warpath, and Emma. They still had dozens of enraged civilians coming at them, but Chimera's outburst didn't go unnoticed.

"What the hell did you do to her, Wolverine?" said Warpath.

"I have no idea. Guess all that stabbing was too much for her," said the feral mutant, still half-charred.

"Somehow, I doubt that's the case," said Cyclops as he looked on curiously.

The green energy aura surrounding Chimera continued to flicker. As she clutched her wound, her body contorted in distress. It was as if something was attacking her from the inside. Within moments, she keeled over and all her green energy dragons disappeared. It was like someone pulled the plug on her power, leaving her weak and defeated.

"Hnn…Shaw," she said weakly, "What have you done to me?"

"I've been asking that same question for years. Expect the answers to _disgust_ you," said Emma with little pity for the woman.

"Something ain't right here. Shaw's goons don't go down that easy, no matter how trashy they look," said Wolverine as he looked over Chimera's unconscious body.

"Shaw's plan must have hit a roadblock. It's the only explanation," said Cyclops, using his optic blast to carve a deeper ditch between X-Force and the civilians.

"I'm all for Shaw screwing up, but it makes no sense. He had the upper hand on all of us? What changed?" wondered Warpath.

"We can speculate mindlessly or we can focus on more pressing immediate concerns," said Emma, still staring down the mindless civilian hoards, "I doubt these hapless souls will go down as easily as Chimera."

There was still a battle to be fought. Wolverine, Cyclops, Emma, and Warpath were still surrounded by dozens of psychically ravaged people. They had since changed their tactics, encircling them so that they couldn't keep backing away. They ignored Chimera's failure. They were still wholly focused on throwing themselves at X-Force. These misguided people looked willing to sacrifice themselves for Shaw.

"WE HAVE THEM SURROUNDED! TEAR THEM APART!" yelled one of the deranged followers.

"Here we go again," groaned Warpath.

Then as they were about to attack, a series of large canisters flew in from the south. These canisters landed in front of and to the right of where X-Force was standing. As soon as they hit the ground, they started unleashing a thick cloud of gas. Within seconds, the mindless hoards started coughing severely.

"ACK! WHAT IS THIS? HAVE OUR QUEENS ABANDONED US?"

"Ah hell, what now?" groaned Wolverine, expecting another major threat.

"Not what…who," said Cyclops as he turned around and saw where the canisters had come from.

It was the MSA. They had arrived and they brought riot gear with them. Over a dozen armored vans and helicopters descended over the area. They surrounded the villa and closed in on the rioting hoards surrounding X-Force. As they drew closer, they launched more tear gas canisters into the crowd. This helped neutralize them in a way that X-Force could not. It also revealed that they were too late to make much difference in this battle against Sebastian Shaw.

"Looks like the cavalry has arrived. And for once they're more equipped to deal with this than we are," said Emma as she covered her mouth to shield herself from the gas.

"That's lousy sarcasm, Frost," said Warpath.

"It wasn't sarcasm," she retorted.

"Even if it was, you'd still be right," said Cyclops as he took in this situation, "This battle is over. If the MSA is here, then we've missed our chance. We have to pull out!"

"Are you whiffing too much of this gas?" snarled Wolverine, "We ain't leaving until we get our shot at Shaw!"

"It's too late for that, Wolverine. We've missed our chance," said the X-Force leader.

The pain of this realization was almost as painful as the gas. The mission was officially scratched. Their only remaining option was to escape before the MSA arrested them. Cyclops, Wolverine, Emma, and Warpath tried to avoid the gas as it spread. By now it had engulfed most of the attacking civilians. Luckily, Nightcrawler finally returned. He appeared behind them, startled to find the area surrounded by tear gas.

"Mien Gott? Vhat did I miss?" exclaimed Nightcrawler as he promptly covered his mouth.

"Kurt! Where the hell have you been? You make a pit stop in Tijuana or something?" barked Wolverine.

"My apologies, Wolverine. Angel started coughing up blood and I had to treat him," said Nightcrawler as he fought his way to his friends.

"Yell at him later," said Cyclops, "Just get us out of here, Kurt!"

With the MSA closing in, there was little time to fill Nightcrawler in on what had transpired. He didn't ask questions. He just battled through the smoke and grabbed onto his teammates. Just as the first MSA van rolled in, they teleported away.

It was a disappointing if not sobering way to end this mission. They came in hoping to stop Shaw before the X-men and the MSA could potentially make it worse. Nothing went according to plan. For once, their limited resources were a liability. As a result, they wouldn't get a chance to confront Sebastian Shaw.

* * *

 **Villa Del Fuego – Later**

Some men spent much of their lives avoiding justice. Some are eventually caught. Some repeatedly escape. For those guilty of exceedingly egregious crimes, there was special satisfaction in seeing their luck run out.

Such was the sentiment shared by many as Sebastian Shaw was hauled away by the MSA. He was wounded, demoralized, and defeated. He no longer looked like a king. Now he was a common criminal facing serious charges that he could not escape. The area around his villa had been surrounded and locked down by the MSA and the Mexican military. Media personnel started gathering outside in anticipation for a story. There would be plenty to report and for once the X-men wouldn't dread the response.

Outside of the villa, hospital tents were erected to treat the civilians that had been psychically manipulated by the Wyngarde sisters. Now that they were both gone, they were more docile. However, like anyone addicted to a powerful drug, they would have to undergo a detox procedure.

Inside the villa, Mexican Special Forces along with top MSA operatives made sure Sebastian Shaw was secured. Due to his severed arm, he was strapped to a medical gurney and wheeled into the back of an armored van. The MSA put a power inhibiting collar around his neck just in case. While he slipped in and out of consciousness, he remained defiant.

"You pitiful peasants…you dare arrest a king?" he said weakly over an oxygen mask that covered his face.

"Where you're going, you'll be lucky to be king of prison bitches," said a Mexican MSA officer snidely.

"The way you dress, you'll be somebody's wife by the end of the week," laughed a Mexican federal police officer.

"You'll have plenty of time to think about it, Shaw. You've got a _lot_ of crimes to answer for," said Captain Freeman as he helped his associates load him into the van, "Not only did we find traces of MGH in your labs, but we also found a few hard drives you had laying around. If it contains even a fraction of your corporate shenanigans, you'll be lucky to get out before the sun explodes."

"You think you can keep me in a prison cell? Ha!" scoffed Shaw defiantly, "If you think I'm devious, wait till you meet my lawyers!"

"I'm sure that's just the blood loss talking," said one of the Mexican doctors watching over him, "I'll make sure he's nice and quiet for the ride back to the base."

"See that you do," said Captain Freeman, "And if you have to rough him up along the way, don't feel obligated to report it."

The Mexican officers along with the MSA operatives nodded. They understood that he was a dangerous man who had done some horrendous things. The people outside suffering from their psychic addiction were proof enough of that. Some actually applauded as they watched the operatives close the door on the armored van and ride off. Even the X-men joined in. They understood that this was an important victory for them.

"Dang…that's a hell of a sight. A homme like that gettin' busted so badly," said Remy as he was being treated for his wounds.

"You gonna put another philosophical spin on this, sugah?" who was sitting next to him smoking a cigarette.

"Not this time. Shaw is a bad man with a lot of bad mojo," said the Cajun, "Him goin' to jail is good for this world."

"Agreed," said Betsy, "Bringing him to justice is almost worth all these bruise. Which by the way _still_ stings like hell!"

"My apologies, senorita. I'm almost finished," said a female Mexican nurse who was applying bandages to her foot.

"Discomfort or not, we _needed_ this," said Captain Freeman as he sat down next to Piotr, "We needed to stop the spread of MGH and bring a man like Shaw to justice."

"Da. I come from a world where criminals almost never pay for their crimes. It is not a world we should emulate," said Piotr, whose arm was in a sling.

"I think the media will agree with you, Peter," said Betsy, "This is the kind of good news that President Kelly will swoon over."

"Yeah, our little initiative actually comes off as competent," said Remy, "Quite an upgrade compared to Scranton, non?"

"To which we owe you your dues, Captain Freeman," said Piotr, "You really stepped up for us. I'm proud to have fought by your side."

"Ah was skeptical mahself, but Ah'm officially convinced now. You're alright, sugah!" said Rogue.

"If you guys are trying to make me blush, knock it off. It was a team effort. I'm glad we could act like one this time around," said Captain Freeman, unable to keep himself from smiling, "This will go a long way with President Kelly and General Grimshaw. They now know they can rely on us to get the job done."

"You think that means they'll go easier on us in the future?" said Rogue half-jokingly.

"It's doubtful, but let's not get ahead of ourselves," said Betsy, laughing despite her wounds.

Their spirits were high as they enjoyed this moment, watching the armored van drive off with a heavy escort. They lingered on the front steps of the vast villa where nurses and EMTs helped them with their injuries. They had taken their share of hits in this battle, but it was worth it this time. They succeeded in all their major objectives.

With Shaw now in custody, the team could turn their attention towards the more minor details. Inside the villa, there was a special area where a number of EMTs treated Jubilee and the five young mutants that were unlucky enough to be caught up in this mess. These EMTs had been trained by the MSA to treat mutants. The MGH that Shaw had given them seemed to have some permanent effects. Hank and Tessa helped every step of the way, providing medical and moral support to these young mutants.

"Ugh…I still feel like I drank a liter of spoiled milk," groaned Kenji, now lying on a medical gurney next to Gabriel and Laurie.

"That's to be expected," said one of the doctors, "The drug you were given put significant strain on your mutant physiology."

"I don't know what physiology means, but my head is still spinning," said Gabriel, "Somehow I went from being 15 to 23 and I don't even remember it?"

"Quit complaining. At least you don't look like an alien fish girl," said Laurie, who struggled to keep an IV in her arm.

"Would it help if I said I think it's a good look for you?" said Kenji, "It's world's better than looking like an Akira knock-off."

"What the hell is Akira and how is it worse than missing half your teen years?" asked Gabriel, still overwhelmed by his change in appearance.

"You're not a monster. You're just older. How can I possibly create art with these hands anymore?" said Kenji as he looked down at his arms, which were replaced by tentacles.

"None of you are monsters. You're still _you_. You're just a different incarnation of _you_ in wake of the effects of MGH," said Hank as he checked each of their vitals.

Hank offered an overly simplistic yet hardly comforting assessment. It was hard for Laurie, Kenji, Teon, Gabriel, and Idie to look at themselves the same way ever again. Not only had their bodies changed. Their entire mindset had changed as well. The MGH that Shaw forced on them affected their minds almost as much as their bodies. They remembered what they did under Shaw's whim. Such memories were harsh and had a lasting effect.

Idie was among those still shuttering at the things she tried to do to the X-men. Physically, she hadn't been changed much. Her eyes were very different now. One eye was red while the other was blue. Her once thin physical form seemed to be more developed by the MGH. Teon, who stuck by her like a loyal pet, had similar change. He was somewhat bigger and more developed than before. Yet even his basic mind had been deeply impacted by what they experienced.

"Flight?" said Teon as he looked up at Idie with sad eyes.

"No Teon. We can't run from this," said Idie, who was sitting upright on her gurney with an IV still in her arm, "We can never forget what happened. For a moment, we truly were monsters. If not in our bodies, then definitely in our souls."

"Is it wrong to envy Teon's overly simplistic mind right now?" asked Kenji.

"There's nothing to envy. He remembers as well," said Idie as she affectionately petted his head, "We all remember. It was like a demon had possessed us. We had thoughts in our heads that weren't ours. We said things and did things that we did not choose to say. It was as if something else was thinking our thoughts for us."

"Can we please not talk about it? My head is still hurting!" groaned Gabriel.

"That's another side-effect of psychic intrusion. Any of our resident psychics will tell you how troublesome it can be," said Hank as he passed by Teon to remove his IV.

"Will this sick feeling pass?" asked Gabriel, "It still feels like something is in my head."

"Can your psychics do something about it?" Idie intently, "I don't know if my soul has the strength to endure it."

"You five are stronger than you think," said Hank with a reassuring smile, "What you experienced was unique. Those two women you encountered, the Wyngarde sisters, are very adept at forging psychic experiences. Their powers along with the MGH formed a collective psyche. It's what allowed you to operate with blind loyalty and utter unity."

"But that collective should be gone, right?" reasoned Laurie, "Now that the stuff is out of our system, it shouldn't be there anymore."

"It isn't. Well, at least not completely," said Hank.

"You're being overly esoteric, Mr. McCoy. Is that supposed to be reassuring?" said Kenji.

"All new sensations are overwhelming and disorienting. I know this from experience," said Hank, citing his own appearance as proof, "But this collective, while no longer dominant, is still present. You think of it as a burden now, just as you do with your other transformation. However, that doesn't change who and what you are. It only changes what you must deal with now. If you're willing to try, there are those willing to help and not in the same way Shaw promised."

Laurie, Teon, Kenji, Gabriel, and Idie exchanged glances. Many feelings were still sinking in. They came to Sebastian Shaw in hopes of a new life. They ended up getting way more than they bargained for. They could have been mindless drones to this collective mind that Hank mentioned. Now they were in control again, yet their lives were even more complicated. It left them uncertain as to where they would go from here.

Another part of this inescapable collective was Jubilee. She was sitting up on a gurney across from Idie and Teon. She hadn't said much after waking from her nightmare. Tessa was there to greet her, but Jubilee was almost ashamed to look at her. She made a big mess of this whole affair. Many had been skeptical of her playing such a dangerous role in this operation. Now those concerns seemed vindicated.

"I still can't believe I could screw up _this_ badly. If this isn't a new record, it damn well should be," said Jubilee with her head held low.

"This wasn't your failure, Jubilee. We're all responsible. We underestimated Shaw's cunning. It wouldn't be the first time either," said Tessa, who kept her emotions turned off while she treated the young mutant, "And technically, it wasn't a failure. We did bring him in."

"Through blind, freakin' luck!" quipped Jubilee, "I may be doped up from the meds, but I can still hear. Professor Xavier said Shaw just screwed up before he could slip away."

"It's probably not that simple. With Sebastian Shaw, it rarely is."

"Even if it isn't, it doesn't change a thing. I mean look at me! Look at what I let him do to me!"

Jubilee looked up and to reveal her still glowing eyes. Even though the MGH was out of her system, it had lasting effects on her. Her firework-like powers had turned into more destructive ion blasts. She was still adjusting to them. When she woke up her skin briefly flashed in a yellowish glow. She was able to suppress that, but she couldn't stop her eyes from glowing. This effect appeared to be permanent. It was a distinct battle scar that would never heal.

"I've been hearing it since I woke up. Yeah, it could have been a lot worse. I could still be a walking nightlight that blew a hole in the wall every time I sneezed," muttered Jubilee, "That doesn't make it any less annoying. Now every time I look in the mirror, I'm reminded of what I did. I let Shaw use me."

"I know the feeling," said Tessa with a comforting gesture, "That's what Shaw does. Unfortunately, he's very good at it."

"He damn well better rot for it!" she said bitterly, "Worst of all, I almost completely lost myself with that freaky mind control thingy. I almost hurt my friends because of it. Maybe Bishop was right. Maybe I'm too young to be throwing myself into shit like this."

Tessa gazed into her glowing eyes with a solemn empathy. She knew that look well. It was a look she had seen in herself one time too many. She had to keep her emotions turned off to stay focused on her duties. Now those duties had changed.

She turned them back on again and allowed herself to feel sorrow for this young girl. She then arose and sat down next to her. Together, they looked back towards the five other mutants who were still processing everything that had transpired. As Tessa watched, she made a fateful decision that she should have made long ago.

"Sage," she said.

"What?" said a confused Jubilee.

"Sage…my name is Sage," she said, her voice choked with fresh emotion, "Tessa is a fake name that I've been going by for years."

"You're kidding, right?" said Jubilee skeptically, "If so, it's not very funny."

"Jubilee, when have you ever known me to have a sense of humor?" said Sage as she looked over at Jubilee, her eyes leaving little room for doubt.

"Point taken, but still…"

"There's a reason why I've avoided that name. It's because as Sage, I used to work for Sebastian Shaw. I was once his top researcher. I was also once his part-time plaything," she went on, not hiding the shame in her voice.

"No way!" said Jubilee in astonishment, "That's…"

"Impossible? Jubilee, where else would I get the resources and know-how to organize District X?" Sage argued, "I'm not proud of it. In fact, I'm _disgusted_ with myself. What I almost did for Shaw was many times worse than what you and your friends almost did. So I know what it's like. I know how bad it feels."

Jubilee's was too stunned to respond. She just kept looking at this woman in disbelief. For so long she had been the most respected person in District X. Everyone looked up to her. She was like a mentor in that she helped her become a part of District X's police force. No one really asked about her past, but seeing that look of disgust in her eyes left little room for doubt. She was telling the truth.

"The woman you see now was very different before Sebastian Shaw entered the picture," Sage went on, "Both physically and mentally, I was changed by his influence. I saw what I was becoming. I was disgusted that I could be so mindlessly amoral. That's why I spent so many years running from it. District X was a way for me to atone, but it didn't change anything. I continued running and that's a mistake that I _don't_ want you to make."

"Tess…I mean Sage," said Jubilee, having to correct herself, "What am I supposed to do then? If District X wasn't enough and going by another name wasn't enough, then what _is_?"

"That's one conundrum that even I'm not smart enough to understand," she said sadly, "However, I can safely surmise that you're in a better position than you think."

"How do you figure? Bearing in mind that I've been a C-student all my life."

"For one, you're not alone," she said, gesturing to the five other mutants in front of them, "There are others who have similar scars…others that need guidance just as much as you. Secondly, you're in a position to do something positive with this experience. District X still needs you. Young mutants like you can set an example."

"You think I can be a leader of sorts? Considering I got kicked out of the girl scouts years ago, I think that's a pretty tall order," said Jubilee.

"That's only if you decide to run like I did. And trust me, that only makes everything worse. You can be an inspiration to the many other mutants who feel scarred and abused. In a way, that's the best possible way to spit in the face of Sebastian Shaw. Prove to him that he's not powerful enough to destroy you. But more importantly, prove it to yourself."

Jubilee contemplated her encouraging words for a moment. This woman she so deeply respected turned out to be more complicated than her computer-like persona would indicate. She was practically daring her to do what she never had the strength to do.

It seemed daunting, especially with the sickening feeling of Shaw's influence still fresh in her mind. However, she saw a real opportunity as she looked out towards Kenji, Laurie, Gabriel, Idie, and Teon. It was an opportunity that wasn't easy to run from.

Jubilee had always been a fighter and an independent spirit. It was part of why Bishop allowed her to join District X's police force despite her tender age. It was also why so many of her relationships including her former boyfriend, Bobby Drake, didn't work out. Now she had a chance to take it a step further. She had a chance to inspire these scarred young mutants. Since they still had a trace of the collective psyche between them, it seemed like a fitting role.

"You know, before we even got here, I felt kind of guilty," said Jubilee distantly, "These five didn't ask for this. They just wanted a new life."

"Well to be fair, Shaw would have destroyed their lives regardless of your presence," Sage pointed out.

"Even so, someone needs to help them build a new life. Someone who won't screw them over," said Jubilee with new confidence in her tone, "Since we already crossed minds, it might as well be me."

Sage smiled at Jubilee's renewed strength. It was the kind of strength she sure could have used after her encounter with Sebastian Shaw. Jubilee was tougher than anyone gave her credit for. As she watched the young mutant get up and make her way to the five young mutants in front of her, Sage felt strangely reassured.

Not only was Jubilee avoiding the mistake she once made, she had also come clean. She was able to confront her as Sage rather than Tessa. Moving forward, it would be nice to have an honest identity. A look of approval from Hank finally brought a smile to her face.

' _You did the right thing, my love. Take comfort in the knowledge that your dual identity is no longer our little secret.'_

' _I appreciate that, Hank. And don't worry. I promise we'll have plenty more dirty secrets between us.'_

Hank smiled at the thought as he stepped back to give Jubilee some space. Laurie, Gabriel, Teon, Idie, and Kenji were all healed physically. Now the emotional healing could begin.

While Hank rejoined Sage, Professor Xavier worked with the MSA and Mexican police to thoroughly investigate the villa. They were aided by Ororo and Jean, who led investigators throughout the opulent manor.

Capturing Shaw was just one part of the process. They needed to gather sufficient evidence to ensure that he would stay in prison for a very long time. Luckily, much of Shaw's operation remained intact. The lab in the lower levels was a treasure trove of evidence. It had all the components and procedures for making MGH. Since this was an illegal substance, he could be easily prosecuted under international drug laws. In other parts of the villa they uncovered more disturbing traces of Shaw's deviant enterprise.

"I think we've got enough to put Shaw away for a long time," said Ororo as she and Jean returned with boxes of hard drives from the lower levels.

"Is this all you found?" asked Professor Xavier.

"Not remotely. As you can see, Shaw was a meticulous psychopath in every endeavor," said Jean, pointing behind her to show MSA operatives carrying more boxes.

"That should bode well for the prosecution in his case," said Professor Xavier as he watched more agents load boxes of evidence into a van, "I just got off the phone with General Grimshaw. He and a few friends in the Justice Department are already assembling a case. They're saying Sebastian Shaw's defeat will be a _very_ public affair."

"That will be good for all parties involved," said Ororo as she set her box down, "We needed something like this. It never would have happened without the Mutant Monitoring Initiative."

"Indeed," said Xavier proudly, "Now we have a solid example of what can be accomplished when the X-men and the authorities work together. We didn't just prevent a deadly new drug from being unleashed. We brought a dangerous criminal to justice. For this, we should be proud."

It was a satisfying moment for the X-men and the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. This was exactly the kind of cooperation that Professor Xavier hoped would come from this partnership. Taking down a man like Sebastian Shaw proved that they could make this arrangement work.

As he watched more agents and police officers haul various hardware from around the villa, Professor Xavier shifted his focus to one of the more vital components that was too large to load into a van. It was a biological synthesizer of sorts. It was nearly twice the size of an average refrigerator and it was by far the most compelling piece of evidence against Shaw. This was the machine that allowed him to concoct MGH. Beyond the crimes Shaw committed with it, there was great potential with this power.

"Beyond our pride, we must be careful with how we move forward," said Xavier went on, "Shaw has done something that cannot be undone. He created MGH and demonstrated its devastating potential."

"If you're worried about it reaching the streets again, you can rest easy, Charles," said Jean strongly, "The Mexican military scrutinized every inch of the lab. We've recovered and contained all remaining traces of MGH."

"It's not the substance itself that worries me. It's the knowledge behind it," said Xavier as he ran his hands over the machine, "Shaw proved to the world that MGH was possible. He proved that it could not only enhance mutant powers. It could control them through a linked psychic collective. That kind of power is too great to be forgotten."

"You think others will try to duplicate it?" asked Ororo.

"I thought these machines were one-of-a-kind," said Jean, "Where would some other aspiring psychopath even begin?"

"It isn't just others who may duplicate. Shaw is a devious man, but he's no scientist. I can't help but wonder where this knowledge originated. Did he come up with it himself? Or did merely supply the resources to make it reality?"

"It could be a little of both," said Jean.

"Or it could be deeper than that," said Xavier distantly, "We still don't know what led Shaw to lose an arm and miss out on his chance to escape. All we know is that someone betrayed Shaw."

"Well we know it wasn't that Chimera woman they found out by the south gate," said Jean, "She's in a coma last I checked and on her way to a holding cell in Mexico City. Could it be that Warhawk guy? We never found him and we know he was here."

"It's possible, but I doubt it. Shaw wouldn't let someone that close to him betray him," said Xavier, "It had to be someone else…someone Shaw didn't have sufficient leverage over. It may be the same source of the knowledge behind MGH."

"Well now that he's in custody, we can extract the necessary answers," said Ororo, "He has no reason to keep secrets if he wants to mitigate his punishment."

"As if that will make a difference given all the crap he's guilty of," said Jean dryly.

"He may not even know. He may actually be another pawn," Xavier reasoned, "If he is then we have an obligation to study MGH carefully. We need to know more about it. We may even be able to do some good with it."

Ororo shifted uncomfortably at this notion. Looking over towards Jubilee and the five mutants that had first-hand experience with MGH, she didn't see much merit in utilizing MGH. But the way Professor Xavier was admiring Shaw's machine indicated that he was intrigued by what could be done with MGH.

"I hope you're not too enthusiastic about developing this monstrosity, Charles," said Ororo, "We've seen MGH do plenty of damage. I don't think we should risk incurring any more."

"We may not have the luxury of ignoring it, Ororo," said Xavier as he continued admiring the machine, "Even if MGH is no longer a street drug for mutants, its potential has already been unleashed. If we don't unlock the secrets within, then someone worse will."

"I hate to repeat a question that Cyclops once asked, but do you think we could control it if we did? Power like this tends to cause a lot of problems, Charles," said Ororo as she stood next to the Professor.

"I haven't forgotten Cyclops's sentiment. I expect others to share it," conceded Professor Xavier, "All progress comes with risk. Sometimes the risk is necessary. Sometimes it's excessive. In this case it's a little of both."

"You still haven't answered the question, Charles," said Ororo.

"That's because I _can't_ answer it at this point. We don't know enough to make any judgments. We can take comfort in the knowledge that we're a step ahead for once. In order to keep it that way, we must remain strong. In doing so, the answer to that question becomes unnecessary."

Ororo wasn't completely reassured, but was satisfied for now. The Professor had a point. They couldn't ignore MGH. If the knowledge was out there, then they had to be ready to confront it. The issue of control was sure to linger. It remained to be seen if Xavier could deliver, but for now his X-men had renewed confidence in their mentor.

While Ororo and the others took comfort in that confidence, Jean Grey wasn't nearly as certain. While Ororo and Professor Xavier discussed the merits of utilizing MGH, she slipped away for a moment. She made sure none of the MSA operatives or Mexican police were looking. Then with shaking hands, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small vial of MGH.

She had to hold back her inner disgust. She lied to the Professor when she told him they had gathered all remaining traces of MGH. When no one was looking, she swiped a small dose for herself. It was a selfish, dishonest act. Unfortunately, this mission proved that it was necessary.

' _I can't believe I'm doing this. But Professor Xavier is right. We need to remain strong. Ever since the Phoenix Force went silent and Scott left, strength has been at a premium. I put my friends in danger again. I passed out landing the X-jet. I almost passed out getting us to Shaw. Sooner or later we'll face something big. When that time comes, I can't afford to be weak!'_

* * *

 **Hills Overlooking Villa Del Fuego**

"How much longer are we gonna stay here, Cyke?" said a deeply disgruntled Logan, "We get it. We lost. Do we have to stick around and remind ourselves?"

"I would argue we should. If for no other reason, to motivate us to do better," retorted Scott, "But that's not why we're still here. We need to know what happened and what it could mean for us moving forward."

"You mean besides us failing miserably and the X-men succeeding on almost every meaningful level?" said James Proudstar dryly.

" _Almost_ being the key word," quipped the X-Force leader.

If Scott was dismayed by X-Force's failure, he was doing a good job of hiding it. Shortly after Nightcrawler teleported them a good two miles away from the villa, he insisted they find a ridge where they could observe what was going on from afar. After getting roughed up by Chimera and an army of mindless civilians, the idea of lingering didn't sit well. Unfortunately, Scott insisted and nobody had the energy to make a scene.

From atop a large hill overlooking the villa, X-Force watched much of the cleanup effort unfold. Scott observed the activity through a pair of binoculars while Emma Frost use her telepathy to gather information. Logan, James, and Kurt were left to muse bitterly over how they failed with this mission.

Even though the X-men thwarted Shaw, they certainly didn't help matters. If anything, they made it worse. It was the first time where their approach to a mission was clearly wrong and Professor Xavier's approach with the Mutant Monitoring Initiative was clearly right. It was demoralizing and frustrating.

"If you're holding out hope for Xavier to miss something, save yourself the trouble," said Emma as she concentrated her telepathy, "Everything I'm sensing just cries of an unmitigated success. Not only did they seize the primary means of production for MGH, they actually _arrested_ Shaw."

"You almost sound disappointed, Emma. I thought you of all people vould enjoy seeing Shaw face justice," said Nightcrawler.

"It would be far more satisfying if I had a shot at him," she said bitterly, "I didn't even get a chance to break his balls or short out half his brain!"

"Knowing Shaw, you may still get your chance," said James.

"Even if that's the case, it may be a while," said Scott, "They've got Shaw locked down pretty good. From what I've seen, someone betrayed him."

"Near as I can tell, everyone else is wondering the same thing," said Emma, "Warhawk is unaccounted for and so are the Wyngarde sisters. I would have loved to scan Chimera's mind, but there's only so much you can get from someone in a coma."

"You're welcome, by the way," said Logan snidely.

"All in all, I'd say they did everything we tried and they did it better," said Emma, "They have all of Shaw's data on MGH. They have the media swarming around the villa, ready to hear all about how efficient they are. It's a public spectacle they're sure to build on. Professor Xavier is emboldened. At the very least, it's going to make X-Force's efforts look like renegades for a while."

"Like that would bother you," scoffed Logan, "You still ain't even linked to us thanks to that shape-shifter you got back at your school."

"You think I don't care when we fail?" retorted Emma.

" _Nobody_ enjoys failure. That much we should agree on," said Scott, stepping between Emma and Logan before things could escalate, "This doesn't undermine X-Force, but it does make our jobs harder. Let's not lose sight of that."

It was remarkable that Scott could sound so confident. The X-men and the MSA just proved did something that the old X-men could not have done. However, Scott was not dissuaded. He remained focused on the bigger picture.

While today was a failure for X-Force, it set the stage for future missions. They couldn't waste time making up for past mistakes. They had to keep looking forward and some of what they observed already hinted at what they were facing.

"This is what's going to happen," said Scott assertively, "We're going to take a moment to remember all the mistakes we made today. Then we're going to suck it up, look to the future, and plan on _not_ making them again."

"Zhat's a lot to remember, mein friend," said Kurt.

"I know, but it's necessary. Failure or no failure, this affair with Shaw and MGH will have consequences. We can't expect the X-men and the MSA to be successful in dealing with those consequences."

"Even if they're embolden and more confident?" questioned Warpath.

"As long as they're still _human_ , we can expect mistakes from each side. It's just a matter of being on the side that makes the fewest," said the X-Force leader assertively, "We still have questions that need answering. First and foremost, we need to know who betrayed Shaw and why."

"The man has a _long_ list of enemies. I'm not sure answering that question would mean anything," said Emma dryly.

"It could end up meaning everything," said Scott, "Even if the X-men answer it, they may not be in a position to do anything about it. That's why we need to dig deeper. Something like MGH doesn't come from directly from Shaw's twisted imagination."

"That's debatable, bub," said Logan.

"But who else could benefit from something like MGH?" wondered Kurt, "Maybe I'm overthinking zhis, but it seems like a bad business decision to betray Shaw. If he vas making MGH in large quantities, vhy vould anyone risk zhat?"

"Perhaps Shaw's plan wasn't in line with someone else's. Perhaps it wasn't a business decision at all," Scott speculated.

"We're making a lot of assumptions here, Scott. How is this going to help X-Force's cause?" asked James.

"Well, we won't know until we find out, will we?" he replied, "So that's what we're going to do. Anybody who has the audacity to betray Sebastian Shaw is worth investigating."

Scott's assertive tone was reassuring. He didn't belabor the mistakes they made today. It was as logical a strategy they could hope for at this point. Not every detail of Shaw's operation was completely resolved. The only way they were going to know for sure is if they uncovered his secrets.

Leaving Villa Del Fuego behind, X-Force prepared to teleport back to Nova Roma. Scott put away his binoculars and Emma Frost ended her telepathic scan. They joined James and Kurt, who were more than ready to depart. Logan was about to join them as well. Then the winds shifted and a sharp gust blew over the hills. Along with this gust came a scent that caused Logan to freeze where he stood. It was a scent he didn't recognize, but it felt familiar in a very disturbing way.

' _That scent. It smells like…nah, it can't be. I must need a drink or something. I got enough shit on my plate and I ain't gonna eat it all at once.'_

The feral mutant lingered for a moment, trying to shake off this cold feeling that came with such a scent. It wasn't Sabretooth. It wasn't Sinister. It was no one he ever smelled before yet it triggered in him the kind of emotions that made his berserker rage fester.

"What is it, Logan? Is the urge to go on another bender that strong?" said Emma dryly.

"Fuck off, Frost. As if you need anyone to tell you," quipped Logan.

Logan set the scent aside. Very little good had ever come from him following a scent. He neither had the time nor the patience for another emotionally draining conflict. If there were going to be consequences to Shaw's downfall, then X-Force needed to be more prepared than the X-men. Sometimes great success made certain details easy to overlook.

* * *

 **Mexico City – Basilica de Guadalupe**

"Where is he? He's late!" groaned a pacing young man.

"Will you give it a rest, Vargas? I thought your detox from the Wyngarde sisters was finished," said Warhawk, growing increasingly annoyed with his associate's paranoia.

"It was," affirmed Vargas, "That doesn't mean I can't worry."

"There's worry and there's being annoyingly impatient. Guess which one you are?" quipped Warhawk, "At least try and settle down. We're in a church. It's supposed to be soothing. I imagine that's why our friend chose it."

"I wouldn't call him a friend just yet. We both took a big risk here. We're betraying more than just Sebastian Shaw. Seeing as how we're in a church, I would like to get this over with before our sins catch up to us."

Warhawk rolled his eyes, fighting to urge to shut Vargas up with his fist. For a human still recovering from addiction, he was very annoying. They were waiting just in front of the main pew. The church was empty, yet Vargas was pacing like God himself was looking over his shoulder. He was right about one thing. They were taking a substantial risk.

Betraying Sebastian Shaw was the easy part. He may have been a mercenary, but some people just weren't worth the frustration. He grew tired of Shaw's egomania when his son was still running things. No amount of money was worth giving him control over mutants with MGH. It made his decision to betray his employer easy.

The hard part was working with Vargas. After he fell out of favor with the Wyngarde sisters, he became a desperate and convenient partner. He wasn't at Villa Del Fuego when the attack unfolded. He had been tasked with securing an escape for Warhawk once he had what got what he needed.

As an addict, Vargas had some old criminal contacts that were able to secure an unmarked car and some forged passports. When he slipped out of the lab back at the villa, Vargas was waiting for him. It was as clean an escape as they could have hoped for. Now there was one last step to complete.

Their best leverage was in a small medical bin that Warhawk took from Shaw's lab. When he handed Shaw the new batch of MGH, he didn't hand them all the doses that had been synthesized. He saved a few for himself and made sure no one noticed. As far as he knew, the authorities believed they had every last drop of MGH. They were wrong. Now he was the only remaining source of MGH and he intended to take full advantage of it.

"Take it from a former soldier, Vargas. The only sins that come back to haunt us are those we fail to outrun," said Warhawk as he looked at the case with MGH, "When you're not able to pick your battles, you tend to be unreasonably shackled."

"Is that why you betrayed Shaw? He held you back from past transgressions?" said Vargas dryly.

"In addition to his insufferable sense of entitlement, he never allowed me to fight the battles I wanted. I had to take matters into my own hand. I would have lost my mind if I stayed under that phony tyrant's thumb. It's pure coincidence that the battles I seek are in line with the ones you seem intent on joining, even if you have no place doing so."

"You have your choices. I have mine," said Vargas strongly, "It's easy when you're a mutant with powers. You don't have to worry about being too frail to make a difference."

"Will you quit it with the jealousy?" said Warhawk dryly, "You don't like being weak. I get it. If our associate delivers, then neither of us will have to worry about that again."

It was an appealing thought, one that made all this festering anxiety worth it. Vargas kept pacing, the dense air of the vast church doing little to ease his mindset. He was already sweating nervously while Warhawk looked calm. Nausea was setting in. That weakness that Vargas mentioned continued to torment him. He was determined to escape it. He didn't care who he had to trust or who he had to betray. He refused to be weak.

His nausea subsided when a familiar pink portal opened. He and Warhawk watched intently as two figures emerged from the glowing light. One was Blink, the source of the portal. The other was the man they had placed so much trust in, Pietro Maximoff.

"Sorry I'm late. Had a run-in with a T-Rex," said the speedster casually.

"Is that supposed to be a joke?" questioned Warhawk.

"Not as much as you think," chuckled Blink.

"You guys are lucky I'm in a good mood. I'd like it to get even better," said Pietro as he approached Warhawk, "So don't just tell me you succeeded. Show me!"

"Since we're in a bit of a hurry, I'll skip asking for a please," said Warhawk.

Without hesitation, he opened the small medical case to reveal several doses of the refined MGH. Pietro reached in and took one. He held it up in the dim light of the church, making sure it was the real deal. The added glow of the substance assured him that this was exactly what he was hoping for.

"Perfect!" proclaimed the speedster, "This is exactly what we need to finish our little science experiment. Maybe now our resident science guru will stop busting my balls."

"If only it wasn't so much fun," said Blink under her breath.

"This is likely the last batch you'll come by," said Warhawk, ignoring Blink's comment, "It's all yours if you give me the sanctuary I requested."

"And I will," said Pietro as he clutched the vial, "You did well, Warhawk. Way better than that Beak kid that utterly failed. Havok was right about the value of spies. But don't tell him I said that. He'll rub it in my face for the rest of the week."

"You'll have my utter silence if you also deliver what was promised to me," said Vargas as he stepped forwards, "Warhawk told me about the research you were doing. I want to be first in line to taste its fruits!"

"Whatever pal," said Pietro, rolling his eyes, "I'm usually dubious of humans, but it's not every day someone risks their life just so they can be a guinea pig."

"There's more to it than that…more than I could possibly put into words," said Vargas, unable to hide his insecurity, "What you're doing is big. It's going to change the world. I want to be part of that, no matter the risk!"

Pietro looked at the frail man strangely. Vargas sounded desperate, even for a human. He didn't intend to get this guy involved. Warhawk was the one that introduced them. What he asked for was nothing short of bizarre. It called his sanity into question. Even so, he promised to serve a necessary role. One that would pave the way for something much bigger.

"If that's what you want, who am I to argue?" shrugged Pietro, "Saves us the trouble of finding some gullible volunteer."

"Thank you, Mr. Maximoff," said Vargas graciously, "I promise you won't regret it."

"Spare me the graveling. It's annoying, even for a human," said Pietro as he led them back into Blink's portal, "Follow me and try to keep up. We've got a lot of work ahead of us and I'm looking forward to showing up the X-men!"

* * *

 **Up next: Power Brokers**


	10. Issue 158: Power Brokers

**Issue #158  
Power Brokers**

* * *

 _Professor Charles Xavier has a dream. He wants a future where humans and mutants work together for the common good. His team of gifted mutants, the X-men, share that dream. After years of working on their own, they joined forces with human authorities under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. It is in this initiative that Professor Xavier has staked much of his dream. So far, the results have been mixed._

 _There have been times when the initiative has hurt the X-men. In an incident involving a mutant named Nitro, Professor Xavier's team struggled to cooperate with the government forces in the MSA. It cast doubt as to whether the dream was even still relevant. However, this incident was soon followed up by a pivotal success._

 _One of their old enemies, Sebastian Shaw, had been distributing a drug known as Mutant Growth Hormone. With this drug, he hoped to enhance mutant powers and control them using a powerful psychic collective. The X-men were not only able to thwart him. They were able to arrest Shaw so he can finally face justice for his many crimes._

 _This leaves the detractors of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative with a problem. Cyclops and Wolverine quit the X-men in wake of the Professor's controversial plan, forming X-Force in order to keep the original dream alive. They believe the initiative needs to be stopped before it does irreparable harm to humans and mutants. It's not clear who is right, but the situation remains tenuous and more complications seem inevitable._

* * *

 **Nova Roma – X-Force Base**

"Scott? Hey Scott, have you come back down to Earth yet?" said Domino as she waved her hand in front of the stoic face of Scott Summers.

"Give it a rest, Dom. He's hasn't said a word all day," said Warpath, "I think watching the news has damaged his brain."

"Yet I'm the one who was in the infirmary for three days," she retorted, "How is _that_ fair?"

"If you're that upset about it, you could always do what Logan does and try to drink your frustrations away."

"Sorry, but even I'm not that lucky," laughed Domino.

The two mutants left the X-Force leader to sulk over his team's precarious state. He had been spending a lot of time in the War Room, going over all the ways they failed in the Shaw mission. For a few days, everybody dwelled on it. Warren and Domino had injuries that required extensive treatment from Nova Roman doctors. Nobody slept easy knowing they had performed so poorly. Over a week had gone by and the team was ready to move on, but Scott Summers continued to lament.

Even after Domino and Warpath left the area, he remained fixated on the large television screen that was broadcasting news reports. In the days that followed Shaw's arrest, details had spread throughout the media. The story was global in scope. It demonstrated to people all over the world how humans and mutants could work together to exact justice. It was a compelling point, but Scott Summers still wasn't convinced.

The latest report from CNN depicted Professor Xavier and General Grimshaw standing next to President Kelly at a press conference. They were making a very public spectacle of Sebastian Shaw's arrest. Scott studied it closely, trying to determine what it meant for future missions. For the moment, it was a PR boon for the Mutant Monitoring Initiative.

" _Make no mistake, this is a great day for justice. Sebastian Shaw wasn't just a corrupt businessman. He and others like him undermine the very spirit of a free society. Today, we've officially charged him with multiple counts of racketeering, bribery, extortion, unlawful imprisonment, and drug trafficking. He's facing multiple life sentences and the Attorney General has assured me that he will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Thanks to Charles Xavier and the efforts of the X-men, we have the evidence to convict him and the resources to contain him. This kind of effort would not have been possible before the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. I hope this quells any lingering doubts that we made the right decisions in pursuing this initiative."_

The President sounded confident. He almost seemed sincere, despite being so mistrusting of mutants. Scott couldn't tell if he was just being assertive or if he really believed what he was saying. He kept studying the President's disposition as he took more questions from the press.

" _Mr. President, what can you tell us about this drug, MGH or Kick as it is called?"_ asked a reporter from the LA Times, _"Has it been completely eradicated?"_

The President responded with a smug grin before answering.

" _There have been no confirmed reports that MGH is on the streets since Shaw's arrest. According to the DEA, all remaining doses are in federal custody. We're currently studying the substance to determine if others can duplicate it. Our associates at Worthington Industries are assisting us with this under the strictest of scrutiny. So I think it's safe to say that the public has nothing to fear from this terrible drug."_

Scott tried hard not to scoff. He saw plenty of reasons to fear a government that now had MGH in their possession. If Worthington Industries was now working with it, that opened up a whole new series of problems that he already had Warren investigating.

"Looks like you were right, Warren. If given the chance, the authorities will turn part of their latest success and into their next crisis," said Scott to himself.

The X-Force leader continued watching. The situation with Worthington Industries was something they had to monitor closely. X-Force also had to focus on the bigger picture and that included some of the logistical consequences of Shaw's arrest.

" _Mr. President, what about the impact of Shaw Industry's disillusion?"_ asked a female reporter from the Walls Street Journal, _"According to a report from Investors Business Daily, the recent three-hundred-point dip in the Dow Jones was a direct result of Shaw's arrest."_

The President responded with the same confidence as before.

" _With all due respect to the American economy, that's a small price to pay for arresting a man like Sebastian Shaw. Removing him from the business world will only serve us well in the long run. As for his company, the Justice Department has met with the capital investment group, Fenris International. They're prepared to take Shaw's company public under strict government supervision."_

The same reporter followed up with another question.

" _What about rumors that his company employs more mutants than any other company in the world? Will that be cause for concern?"_

This time Charles Xavier stepped in to respond. The President yielded to him for most questions regarding mutant matters. He seemed to share the President's confidence with every response.

" _No, we don't expect that to be a major issue. If anything, it's an opportunity for mutants everywhere. So long as the mutants employed by Shaw Industries are involved in legal, productive jobs, then we have no desire to stop that. We're even looking into the possibility of starting a program that will allow mutants to acquire such jobs if they don't feel that life at the Academy of Tomorrow is right for them."_

Scott sighed and shook his head. Professor Xavier was coming off as an opportunistic politician, but not in a bad way. He didn't imply it outright, but Scott could read the subtext.

Professor Xavier was using this to address one of the major concerns of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. As Beak showed them, not every mutant was keen on joining the Academy of Tomorrow. Using Shaw's assets, he could offer another option for mutants while stimulating the economy. It was win-win for mutants and for politicians. It sounded good on paper. However, others weren't convinced.

" _What about the more distressing rumors that numerous senators, judges, and policy-makers received contributions from Shaw Industries?"_ asked a reporter from the New York Times, _"In the past week, several notable officials have resigned for undisclosed reasons. Is this just a coincidence?"_

For the first time, Professor Xavier and President Kelly flinched. They maintained their professional poise, but the question struck a nerve. It wasn't obvious from the broadcast alone, but Scott could see it. He watched as General Grimshaw stepped in to answer.

" _We're aware of all these rumors and we're not ignoring them. If there are officials that were involved in unlawful activity, we will look into it. Right now, we can do the most good by establishing a case against this Sebastian Shaw. That's part of our goal for the MSA and the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. We're trying to establish justice between humans and mutants. This is just a small step in the right direction."_

At this point, Scott paused the TV. He got up from his seat and looked at the image closer. Grimshaw always kept a stoic demeanor, but it was Professor Xavier's expression that caught his attention. He diverted his gaze while General Grimshaw responded. It was as if he was trying to hide his reaction. Scott knew the Professor well enough to infer what that meant.

"You've got a lousy poker face, sir. You're not as good a politician as we thought. That may not be a bad thing," said Scott as he stared intently at the screen, "Arresting Shaw has already led to some unexpected problems. I wouldn't be surprised if others in the X-men are already making a big deal about it."

* * *

 **Washington DC – White House**

Professor Xavier left the press conference with mixed feelings and a touch of frustration. After posing for some pictures with General Grimshaw and President Kelly, he made a quick exit through the East Wing. It was one of those instances where his powerful mind needed space to think.

"You look tired, Xavier. Get some rest. You and your team have earned it," said General Grimshaw as Xavier left.

"Thank you, General. I'll most certainly try," said Professor Xavier, forcing a smile.

Xavier's smile quickly faded as he slipped into a more secluded area. Once he was clear from the cameras, he took a moment to catch his breath. Taking down Sebastian Shaw had been difficult enough. Processing him through the justice system proved to be a different kind of challenge.

As the world's most powerful psychic gathered himself, he sensed two familiar figures approach him. Jean and Ororo had been watching the event from behind the media scrutiny. While they had been supportive, they seemed to share the Professor's concerns.

"That went well, but it could have gone better," commented Jean.

"I agree. Shaw's arrest has triggered a domino effect of sorts. I doubt we'll understand the full extent that impact for quite some time," said Professor Xavier with a sigh.

"That's not what I meant, Professor," quipped Jean, "We read the papers too. We expect men like Grimshaw and President Kelly to dodge certain questions. You on the other hand…"

Jean's words trailed off. Professor Xavier diverted his gaze and started walking. Jean and Ororo walked with him, making it clear that they weren't going to let this go.

"I know you want us to enjoy our victory, Charles. You've had the MSA and the Justice Department do most of the work in processing Shaw," said Ororo, "However, we're a bit concerned about a few recent developments."

"I have every intention of addressing them, Ororo. Our greatest obstacle in this matter is time," he told her.

"Then what's wrong with right now?" asked Jean in a somewhat insistent tone, "You can walk and talk at the same time, can't you?"

"At the very least, give us something to tell the others," said Ororo with a bit less apprehension, "We've all been hearing stories about certain congressmen quietly resigning for having ties with Shaw."

"That's to be expected. Shaw's corruption ran deep," said Professor Xavier.

"I don't doubt that, but I find it a little distressing that the only ones resigning happen to be members of the other party. We took down Shaw to stop his sinister operations. Not to help the President secure more power."

"That makes us feel like political tools. We're supposed to be setting an example, are we not?" added Jean.

Professor Xavier held his head low, not contesting this unfortunate development. He was well-aware that President Kelly appeared to be taking advantage of the X-men's success. He and other party leaders were using it to further their own agenda, albeit subtly.

It was not the kind of partnership that he hoped to forge with the authorities. It added a corruptive element to the Mutant Monitoring Initiative that could be a problem if it was allowed to propagate.

"But that's not the most distressing issue that concerns us," Ororo went on, "What's this I hear about Hank working with Tessa on a new blend of MGH?"

"Don't you mean Sage?" Jean corrected.

"Well, whatever her name is, she and Hank seem to be overly _enthusiastic_ about this project. They even have Worthington Industries involved. I hear they're using that failed cure that was supposed to be thrown out to concoct a dose of MGH that will suppress mutant abilities."

"I agree it's a less-than-pleasant set of circumstances, but it was determined that the potential benefits of MGH could not go overlooked," said Professor Xavier as they entered the South Wing, "There's no question that Shaw was using MGH for devious means. There's also no question that he made a significant breakthrough in understanding and controlling mutant abilities."

"I'm all for helping mutants control what they do, but I'm _not_ for giving the government or Worthington Industries that kind of power," said Jean.

"All the more reason to maintain a close working relationship," argued Professor Xavier, "The arrest of Sebastian Shaw demonstrates that we have resources with the government that we never could've had on our own. Granted, there will be some drawbacks and I will not ignore them. However, I believe the benefits will far outweigh those drawbacks."

"I want to believe that as well, Professor. But I just have a bad feeling…" began Ororo.

The Professor stopped walking and addressed the two senior X-men. They were deeply concerned and for good reason. He took it upon himself to reassure them.

"Ororo…Jean…I can never promise that the Mutant Monitoring Initiative will work flawlessly," he said to them, "There are bound to be costs that we find distasteful. There may even be drawbacks that are difficult to get around. However, we must not lose sight of the big picture. What worked before no longer works now. It's not enough for the X-men to simply be heroes."

"I know, Professor. We've heard that argument before. We're not questioning the basis of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. It's the _logistics_ we have problems with," said Jean, shifting uncomfortably under her mentor's gaze.

"And I admit they're changing in ways I hadn't foreseen. Coming from the world's most powerful psychic, that should say a lot," said Xavier, "I look at it this way…if we weren't part of this, then it would likely be done behind our backs. Then who knows what the MSA or the government would do with something like MGH at their disposal? We're doing ourselves a favor by working with them rather than against them."

He made it sound so clear cut. Ororo and Jean were still in an awkward position. They couldn't argue that there was some merit to the Professor's reasoning. It still wasn't enough to set their minds at ease.

The two X-women remained silent. Professor Xavier offered them a reassuring smile. He maintained a strong poise despite these difficult circumstances. He had to for both his X-men and his dream.

"It will get better. This I promise," he told them, "We just need to keep pushing. We've come too far to turn back at this point."

"I'm not suggesting we do that, Charles," said Ororo, "I'm just suggesting that we be more careful moving forward."

"I don't disagree. Right now, there's a great deal of _clutter_ to work through. We have to make sure that Shaw is successfully convicted. We also have to make sure the mutants he helped slip under Cerebrum's gaze are accounted for in some manner. There's a chance that some of the businesses he set up for mutants will be a problem."

"What kind of problem?" asked Jean warily.

"The kind that will require more _subtle_ efforts from the X-men," said Xavier, choosing his words carefully, "Shaw took advantage of mutants who feared the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. We need to show those mutants that such fears are unfounded. We can do that by taking what Shaw did and making it legitimate. Now there may be costs along the way. That's where we'll need to balance being careful and utilizing the vast resources at our disposal."

* * *

 **Nova Roma – South End District**

"Explain to me again why I agreed to this," said an exasperated Wanda Maximoff.

"I'm not sure, Vanda. I imagine it's zhe same reason I agreed as vell," said an equally bemused Kurt Wagner, "Emma is zhe psychic here. I imagine only she knows."

"Will you two stop looking so despondent? It doesn't take a psychic to determine that you two need a night on the town to unwind," scoffed Emma Frost, who was leading them down the busy streets.

"That's assuming we wanted your help in the first place, Frost," said Wanda dryly.

"Hey, I didn't force you two to tag along. You're welcome to go back to the base and continue being miserable. You'll just prove me right either way."

Emma Frost had an uncanny talent for putting people in no-win situations. Wanda was inclined to hex Emma for having such an attitude about it. Kurt waved her down. There was plenty of frustration to go around and Emma was only a fraction of it. X-Force had been miserable ever since they got back from Mexico. It couldn't hurt to try something extreme like trusting Emma Frost to get away from it.

Nova Roma had a very spirited nightlife, one reflecting the more decadent side of Greco-Roman traditions. The South End District was home to the city's night clubs, bars, and bath houses. Ever since Nova Roma opened its boarders, tourism had expanded and many were eager to partake in Nova Roma's more unrestrained culture.

The buildings themselves were a mix of modern architecture mixed with Greco-Roman aesthetics. The bath houses and clubs were usually crowded. It wasn't unusual to see attractive women in scantily clad attire hanging out by the entrances trying to convince patrons to pay their admission. This was the time of night where it was just starting to get crowded and before the sun came up, all manners of debauchery would be had.

Emma Frost was among those who were right at home in Nova Roma's more libertine environment. She often compared it to the Hellfire Club where she once worked. The only difference was that the Hellfire Club was a dirty secret kept by rich men like Sebastian Shaw. In Nova Roma, there was no secret. It was all out in the open for others to enjoy. It offered an escape from the rigors of X-Force and the chaos surrounding her Academy of Tomorrow, one that some needed more than others.

"Now don't get the wrong idea. I didn't go through the trouble of convincing you just because I felt like annoying myself," said Emma as they neared the end of a busy street, "This team has suffered its first demoralizing defeat and without a doubt, our handling of it has been pitiful."

"No one vill argue zhat, Emma. Mexico vasn't a proud moment for us," Kurt conceded.

"That's why I've taken it upon myself to put some of my teammates into a healthier mindset. So far, most of the team hasn't responded. Warren has chosen to busy himself with the never-ending frustration that is his father. Domino was recovering from injuries so she had an excuse. James can only be somewhat decadent when he's still hung up on Stom. The same goes for Scott, only to a far more extreme level. I swear we could parade an orgy in front of him and he still won't look up from his work."

"You dated zhe man. You know how obsessive he can be," said Kurt.

"Which is exactly why I didn't try to convince him," reasoned Emma, "You're in a different boat, Kurt. You have a comatose girlfriend and a failing team, yet your sole means of dealing with it revolves around sulking. Being in a city where nude bath houses and drunken fertility rituals are the norm, I'm amazed you find a way to be so miserable."

"It's disturbing how your mind crafts such _vivid_ scenarios," commented Wanda.

"Berate me all you want, Wanda. The saddest part of all is you have no excuse. You weren't on that mission and one could argue you're more miserable than the rest of us. There are a great many ways to enjoy yourself, even in the midst of life's horrors. Believe me, I know. If you don't give yourself something to look forward to, then how do you expect to move forward?"

Again, Emma made it so Wanda could not contest her remarks. She muttered bitterly under her breath, hugging her shoulders as if to prevent herself from lashing out.

The attractive psychic had a point. She didn't have an excuse. She had been cooped up in this amazing city and somehow she managed to make herself miserable. That was quite a feat, considering how she used to deal with far more stressful situations on Genosha. She was supposed to be stronger than this.

"I can't believe I find myself agreeing with, Emma Frost," groaned Wanda, "I also can't believe I'm going to try and drown my sorrows in needless partying. This is the kind of thing I expect from my brother."

"There's nothing needless about it, darling," argued Emma, "No human or mutant can function if they don't take time to relax every now and then. I don't know what you do to relax in your spare time, but I can safely say it isn't working."

"Or maybe a less _snobbish_ vay of putting it vould be zhat ve need a few healthy distractions," said Kurt, shooting Emma a scold while keeping Wanda from overreacting, "I don't deny it. Between Amanda and X-Force, I haven't been in a clear state of mind to say zhe least."

"I get the concept of having a clear head. I'm just not sure _this_ is the way to go about it," said Wanda, having to step away from Emma for a moment.

"If zhere is another approach you vould like to try, maybe ve could do zhat," offered Kurt.

"That's sweet of you, Kurt. But if that were the case, I wouldn't have agreed to Emma's little request in the first place," said Wanda with a sigh, "At this point, I'm willing to try anything. I figure if you're going to try it too, then I might as well tag along. I trust you way more than I'll ever trust Emma Frost."

"I appreciate your vote of confidence, Wanda. But if ve're going to try anything, having zhe right attitude vould go a long vay," he said with a slight smile, "Before ve go any further, can you at least promise zhat you'll make more zhan a half-hearted effort?"

Kurt was a lot more amicable to deal with compared to Emma Frost. He was a lot more encouraging as well. Wanda had tried not to be too awkward around him. Her trust in him seemed to make his predicament with Amanda Sefton worse than it already was. He didn't hold it against her, though. He still cared enough to make this work for the both of them. She might as well give him the benefit of the doubt because Emma Frost certainly wasn't cutting her any slack.

' _If you want to jump his bone THAT badly, you should have just said so,'_ teased Emma through her telepathy.

' _Get out of my mind, Frost. I can still hex you in ways that no amount of decadence can heal you from,'_ replied Wanda.

She finally managed a less anxious demeanor. Under Kurt's gaze and Emma's chiding, Wanda convinced herself that she needed this. Taking a deep breath, she prepared to follow Emma through these crowded streets and into the Nova Roma nightlife.

"Okay…I'll make the effort," she said, "But I'm not getting drunk. If my brother's alcohol tolerance is any indication, I'm convinced that little good can come of it."

"Ve'll make a note of zhat. Von't ve, Emma?" said Kurt as he turned back towards Emma.

"You know for the son of Azazel and Mystique, you have too few reasons to be _this_ uptight," Emma retorted.

"Emma…" said Kurt with a light scold.

"Fine, we'll take it slow," said the young psychic, rolling her eyes, "Now if we're done chiding each other, can we get going? Logan has already made himself comfortable at one of the best bars in the area. I figure that will be a good place to start before we hit the clubs."

"We'll also be in a position to hold him back if he gets into another bar fight," noted Kurt.

"That too," sighed Emma, "At the very least, it should add some extra excitement to this little outing."

With renewed confidence, Wanda and Kurt followed Emma Frost through the growing crowds of the Nova Roman streets. A growing number of well-dressed people eager for a little fun were already lining up at some of the clubs. The anticipation was palpable. In a city with mystical heritage and festive ambience, there was no greater place to let loose for some much-needed relaxation.

Under Emma Frost's guidance, Kurt and Wanda were led past the growing lines and right into one of the larger bars at the end of the street. However, their movements were not as lost within the crowds as they hoped.

Across the street from the bar, a figure dressed in a hooded sweatshirt watched them. He was finishing up what appeared to be his third glass of hard wine. When he saw Wanda enter the bar with Kurt and Emma, he got up and took out his cell phone.

"Alex, it's Pietro. I found Wanda. Looks like Scanner came through," he said in a stealthy voice.

" _Then she's two-for-two. I'm ready on my end as well,"_ replied the voice of Alex Summers on the other line.

"Then let's make this quick. I've already got Blink on standby. Say whatever you need to say to that brother of yours, but I'm _not_ leaving here without my sister. Over and out."

* * *

 **Washington DC – Lucky Bar**

The mood within the X-men had improved a great deal since their victory over Sebastian Shaw. Despite reservations from some, the overall feeling was that they had made progress. This new lineup under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative had been a difficult adjustment. Now they were settling in and Captain Jack Freeman was a big part of it.

As part of his efforts to develop greater trust, Captain Freeman organized a night off with the X-men. He treated them to a nice dinner in Downtown DC where they reserved a special table just for them. Rogue, Remy, Betsy, and Piotr embraced the opportunity to unwind. Jean Grey agreed to join as well, albeit reluctantly after her earlier conversation with Professor Xavier.

The bar was pretty lively and spirits were high for the most part. Some like Rogue and Remy were treating this as an unofficial date. They were in and out of the VIP area, enjoying the relaxed ambience mixed with free alcohol.

"Dang, Ah never had so much fun on Uncle Sam's dollar. Ah hope we celebrate all our successes like this!" said Rogue as she finished off her drink.

"Even this here thief will admit that workin' for the feds has its perks. Hell, they let us smoke indoors without being snide about it," said Remy, who just lit a fresh cigarette.

"Don't get too used to it, but when you earn it you deserve it," said Captain Freeman, who wasn't in his Green Beret uniform, "You guys did good in Mexico. We didn't just succeed. We came together as a team. That's almost as important as bringing a guy like Shaw to justice."

"Da, and you proved yourself worthy of our respect. I am proud to call you my comrade," said Piotr, giving the mutant soldier a friendly slap on the back.

"I appreciate that, Peter. I may be a slow learner, but I'm committed to my work," said Jack, "I think this mission showed we can do great things when we're fighting as a unit."

"It sure helps _not_ to be at each other's throats no more," said Remy.

"I'll drink to that," grinned Captain Freeman, "I haven't been part of a successful field team that didn't involve selling weed."

"And I haven't been involved in a successful government partnership that did not involve organized crime, so we're even," made Piotr as he held up a bottle of imported vodka.

"It's an all-around win, fellas! Let's enjoy it while it lasts because we know it ain't gonna last long," said Rogue.

In a show of camaraderie, the X-men lifted their glasses with Captain Freeman. It was a good feeling, having that team spirit again. They hadn't felt it since before the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. In a way, it was bittersweet because some of their teammates weren't present to enjoy it.

No one had forgotten about the absence of those like Scott, Logan, Warren, and Kurt. Their victory in Mexico hadn't thwarted their efforts with X-Force. It was a conflict that was sure to play out in the future. For now, they were content to celebrate this victory.

Even though there was optimism throughout the team, some had a harder time getting into the spirit. Jean and Betsy weren't all that enthusiastic with the festivities. They enjoyed the food and the free drinks. They smiled and laughed with their friends. However, when they saw Rogue and Remy out enjoying the dance floor, it reminded them that their respective lovers weren't with them. Even victory weighed heavy on their hearts.

"You're thinking about him, aren't you?" said Jean as she casually swirled her drink, "You're remembering that girl's night we had where you and Warren first got _acquainted_ in a club."

"We're both telepaths here, Jean. We shouldn't be too surprised by one another's thoughts," said Betsy as she looked out over the crowded bar.

"Then you know I've been thinking a lot about Scott lately," she said, "Knowing him, he took Mexico pretty harshly. He's probably obsessing over every minor detail right now. It used to be when he dealt with something like this I would drag him out of the War Room, take him out on a date, and make love to him at the end."

"Did it work?" Betsy questioned.

"As much as we needed it to," Jean replied as she gulped down her drink, "I sure do miss it. Forced celibacy has a way of dampening a post-mission celebration."

"Except there's nothing forced about it," mused Betsy as she retrieved another drink, "Since we arrived, I've sensed no fewer than six men contemplating how they're going to seduce me."

"I must be distracted. How many are contemplating doing the same with me?"

"I think you're better off not knowing, luv."

Jean managed a slight chuckle as she set aside her drink. Looking out over the crowd that included some attractive men, she continued to dwell on Scott. She also thought back to what Shiro told her during their encounter in Boston. She kept in touch with him regularly. He helped her keep a level head. She was no longer debilitated by Scott's absence. However, she wasn't quite sure where she would go from here.

"We are pretty pathetic, you know that?" mused Jean.

"How do you figure?" laughed Betsy as she started on her new drink.

"Our respective lovers took this big stand. They essentially walked out on us because they don't think we chose the right side in the Mutant Monitoring Initiative debate."

"Did we?" Betsy questioned.

"That's debatable, but the point is they're the ones that took the stand. They're the ones that left us out in the cold. Yet here we are, two beautiful women at a bar acting like we're still on the hook for them. It's like they're daring us to live without them."

"Well we can and we have. The mission in Mexico proved that, didn't it?" she said.

"But how much longer can we wait?" questioned Jean, "I had this same conversation with Ororo. Remember, she's still hung up on James Proudstar."

"I thought those two were never official."

"I don't know the full story, but she told me that this was _not_ one of those absence-makes-the-heart-grow-fonder type deals. It's more of a strain-your-heart-and-see-how-far-you-can-take-it type deal."

"Never heard of that, but it sounds mental," muttered Betsy, sounding like the alcohol was affecting her.

"It is. What bothers me, and Ororo for that matters, is that there's only so much strain a heart can take," Jean went on, "You're right in that the mission in Mexico proved that we can function without leaning on our lovers. That's pretty convenient knowledge, but it makes me wonder."

"About how being hung up on our lovers will mess us up down the line?" said Betsy.

"Beyond that, I wonder what it means for this whole mission we're now part of," Jean replied, "After talking with the Professor earlier, I'm convinced that the conflicts will just keep escalating. Now I wonder if it will get to a point where the conflict between the X-men and X-Force gets resolved. If so, what will that mean for us?"

It was a distressing notion that prompted Betsy to gulp down her drink faster. It also prompted Jean to retrieve another with her telekinesis. Right now, alcohol offered a reprieve of sorts even if it was temporary. Between the politics of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative and their relationships, there were no easy answers.

Noticing their disposition, Captain Freeman walked over to the two X-women with a plate of chicken wings. As field leader, he was obligated to take an interest when members of his team looked conflicted.

"I just heard the word, X-Force. I hope that means the two of you aren't too drunk," said the Green Beret.

"Not yet, luv. But we're working on it," said Betsy dryly, "Why? Is that a new team rule? No talking about the opposing side?"

"No, and I don't intend for it to be," he said, "But it's something worth discussing openly. I heard about the conversation you had with Professor Xavier earlier, Jean. I understand you're concerned about the side-effects of our success."

"Sorry if I was brooding. I'm not used to worrying about how being an X-man will contribute to DC's ever-expanding corruption," said Jean in a somewhat cynical tone.

"It's not as corrupt as you think," said the Green Beret, "If a punk like me can contribute to this country, then there's more than enough hope for the X-men."

"I'm not saying I don't have hope. It's just that I've never had hope that was so fragile," sighed Jean, "I see Professor Xavier coordinating with President Kelly. I see Hank McCoy playing with MGH in ways only possible with government supervision. This is exactly what X-Force warned us about."

"Then it's our job to prove them wrong. Hell, they may even _want_ us to," said Captain Freeman, "They wouldn't put something like X-Force together just for kicks."

"I sure as hell _hope_ that Warren would prefer being on the same side as his girlfriend," said Betsy, "That way we could go back to fighting about simple things like his feathers clogging the shower drain."

"I'm sure that will be a welcome change. For now, X-Force is walking a fine line with the law," said the Green Beret, "If it gets to a point where they undermine our efforts, then that defeats the argument and becomes criminal. I don't know what sort of end your boyfriends have in mind. But for their sake and ours, they better come to their senses before they cross certain lines."

"That's painting a pretty bleak picture," said Jean warily, "You can't expect us to choose between the people we love and the side we've chosen."

"I wouldn't want you to," said Jack, "But if you love them, then you'll reach out to them no matter how stubborn they may be."

Jean and Betsy fell silent, needing anther drink to quell their inner turmoil. They were both in an unenviable position. Jack noticed how they looked towards Rogue and Remy as they stepped out of the VIP area to mingle. Their affectionate gestures were harsh reminders that they were alone and there was no guarantee that their respective lovers would come around.

"Look…I probably shouldn't even be telling you this. I've made a habit out of screwing up relationships for most of my life," he said, "But sometimes you have to cross a few lines yourself to do the right thing. It's not pleasant. Hell, it's not supposed to be."

"Are you telling us we should be more aggressive with our pseudo-boyfriends?" said Betsy dryly, "What good would that do?"

"Well for one, it would offer some much-needed clarity," said the mutant soldier, "You're doing a good thing, serving your country. Even if you're not letting your relationships affect your work anymore, you shouldn't let it prevent you from being happy. You X-men deserve it and that's coming from a guy who hated your guts when he first met you."

"You know for a field leader, you offer a pretty skewed perspective," said Jean in a humored tone.

"I believe that all perspectives are skewed. That includes your boyfriends," he told them, "So why keep worrying about theirs? Work on your own for a change and let the chips fall where they may. Even if it comes back to bite you, it may also come back to bite X-Force first."

Jack raised his glass a bit, showing a rare bit of humor. Jean and Betsy still weren't convinced, but they raised their glasses anyways. There was only so much they could control in their hectic lives. Unfortunately, their lovers weren't among them.

Skewed or not, Jack Freeman offered an oddly reassuring assessment. They could function without their lovers, but could they be happy as well? That was a question that would be much harder to answer. In the meantime, the conflict between X-men and X-Force was sure to escalate. There was no telling what difficult decisions they would have to make.

* * *

 **Nova Roma – X-Force Base**

' _I don't know if it's possible to overdose on news, but I think I'm way too close to finding out. The others may be right. I'm entering unknown territory in terms of being obsessive.'_

Scott Summers let out an exasperated sigh as he turned off the TV monitor and rose from his seat. He stretched and yawned, having not slept much since their return from Mexico. He had watched and re-watched the news surrounding the X-men and the Shaw affair to the point of nausea. At some point, he had to let it sink in. Unlike before, he didn't have a girlfriend to remind him when he needed to step back.

In a tired daze, the X-Force leader walked over to a nearby window and gazed out over the Nova Roman cityscape. It was early evening now and the landscape looked oddly peaceful. It was nights like this where he and Jean would usually go out and unwind. He missed those nights in ways he could never put into words. Not being with Jean was one of the hardest challenges that came with running X-Force. He could make it work if he remained obsessively focused. It still made for a strenuous existence.

' _I need to pull it together. And for once, I can't rely on Jean's support to help me. I never knew how much I depended on her until now. I can't lead X-Force and be an emotional wreck. No matter how much I love her, this is bigger than either of us. Someone has to make a stand no matter how heart-wrenching it may be.'_

Scott leaned against the window in a daze, trying hard not to think about all the ways Jean would make things better if she were with him. He could almost see her reflection in the window. It was too much for his heart to take. He had to shut it out. Like it or not, he had to do this without her.

' _One setback shouldn't be this big a deal. X-Force is wounded, but still intact. The Mutant Monitoring Initiative was bound to make some progress. X-Force needs to make more. There's a hidden subtext here that someone is missing. I keep looking for it, but I can't find anything. The others are depending on me. With or without Jean Grey, I need to be better.'_

The X-Force leader continued contemplating the many challenges he had before him. He clearly wasn't going to find any answers in his current state of mind. He needed to rest or do something to clear his head. Regaining strength was the most important step in recovering from a defeat.

Letting out a tired yawn, Scott prepared turn in early for some much-needed shut-eye. Then as he made his way across the room, he heard some strange noises in the floors below him. They sounded like gunshots mixed with yelling. In his anxious state, Scott was in no mood for horseplay.

"Domino, you better not be doing that target practice drill with James again," he shouted, "Warren's pockets are deep, but even he gets tired of paying the repair bills."

More noise followed. It quickly escalated as if the gunshots were on the move. Scott listened more intently as the commotion ascended the stairs. The X-Force leader instinctively retrieved his visor from a nearby table. Something about this didn't sound like a training exercise gone wrong.

"So much for catching up on sleep tonight," he groaned.

Scott prepared for the worst as he carefully approached the door. Before he was even halfway there, it burst open as a result of James Proudstar being thrown in like a rag doll. Scott immediately stepped back and aimed his visor at the door.

"Hnn…so how's your night going, Scott?" groaned James.

"About as well as yours, it seems. What's going on? Has our base been compromised?" asked the X-Force leader.

"Depends on your definition, big brother," came a familiar voice.

Scott watched as a figure emerged through the now gaping hole in the wall where the door used to be. His eyes widened behind his visor as he watched his brother, Alex Summers, approach him. Behind him was Blob, who was clearly the one who threw James with such ease.

"Alex…how the hell did you find this base!" exclaimed Scott.

"You act as though there's much to find," laughed Blob, "No offence, but this is a hell of a downgrade compared to the mansion."

"Cut him some slack, Freddy…as hard as that may be," quipped Alex, "These aren't the X-men. Let's not treat them as such."

Scott remained apprehensive as Alex approached. He didn't come in with his usual aggressive demeanor. He casually stepped over James's semi-conscious body and addressed his older brother.

"Spare me the outrage, Scott. I didn't come here to fight for once," said Alex.

"I'll believe that when Blob here goes on a diet," scoffed Scott.

"Wow, you have some crazy standards," laughed Blob, "I told Alex this was a waste of time, but does anyone listen to the guy who considers a turkey a light snack?"

"It's true, Scott. I don't have the luxury of attacking you, even though you keep giving me _plenty_ of reasons," said Alex.

"If you're going to say something that isn't a snide remark, say it now! Otherwise, I'll start taking my many frustrations out on you!" barked Scott.

"Boy, these X-Force guys are moody," commented Blob, "At least they're easy to toss around or I would be bored already."

Blob cracked his knuckles to further dissuade Scott from further outbursts. He was prepared to hold the former X-leader down if necessary. He had to scrap those preparations when he heard gunshots coupled with the sting of bullets hitting him from behind.

"We're not as easy as we look…or dress for that matter," grinned Domino, who looked somewhat tattered but was still poised to attack.

"You?! Didn't I throw you out a window?" groaned Blob as he turned around.

"I've been thrown out of worse," she quipped, "Now what do you say, big boy? Care to see if your luck is as big as your waistline?"

She fired a shot that hit him right around his neck. It didn't do much physical damage, but it still hurt. Now flushed with renewed anger, Blob prepared to attack Domino.

"Have fun with your brother, Summers! I'm going after the crazy bitch in the black spandex!" roared Blob.

"As if we don't hear that enough from Pietro," said Alex as he rolled his eyes.

Blob stormed out of the room through the hole he made with James. Domino led him out of the living room and back towards the staircase, leaving Scott to confront his brother one-on-one.

Over the commotion of more gunshots, Scott and Alex stared each other down. Scott was tempted to lash out at his wayward brother. He had breached X-Force's base. He could compromise their whole operation. Yet that didn't seem to be his intent. So with his hand still on his visor, Scott probed for answers.

"Okay Alex, you have my attention. I'm still inclined to shoot you, but that depends on what it is you have to say," said Scott.

"I promise it's worth hearing," said Alex strongly, "It involves your recent trip to Mexico and how it went horribly wrong for some…and horribly right for others."

"I already know that. Tell me something I can't get from CNN!" he said.

"Okay, how about this…we discovered something about MGH that even Shaw wasn't aware of. It's something _so_ big that you'll quit being a dick and listen. This runs a lot deeper than the fight between humans and mutants."

* * *

 **Nova Roma – Jupiter Parlor and Bar**

No matter how different some cultures were, certain tenants remained constant. Alcohol was one of the few uniting factors for every culture. Even a culture driven by magic and Greco-Roman traditions had a place for alcohol. It was oddly comforting in the midst of such dramatic differences, some of which were easier to handle for some.

"You boys are pathetic. You think your lurid tales with a high priestess will make me agree to a sordid fertility ritual? Never mind that those rituals are just glorified orgies," scoffed Emma Frost as two heavily muscled men flirtatiously leered over her.

"I'll have you know that most women would consider it a privilege to partake in such a ritual," said one of the men, who was clearly a little drunk.

"My friend speaks the truth. A woman of your _assets_ would have a grand time!" said the other man, who was looming a bit too close to Emma.

"I prefer to have a good time on my own terms. And unless you want leave this bar as a drunken eunuch, you'll quit trying to cop a feel. You haven't earned it yet," said Emma in a threatening yet alluring tone.

The two large men were taken aback, yet unable to pull themselves away. They knew she was manipulating them. For any number of reasons, they didn't seem to mind.

Emma Frost's way with men was always a spectacle. In a place like Nova Roma, she fit in perfectly. Logan had seen it plenty of times since they set up shop in this hidden city. It was amusing at times, but after the fiasco in Mexico it wasn't nearly as entertaining.

Logan opted to drink his frustrations away as he so often did. He had been coming to this bar nearly every night since they returned from Mexico. Tonight, he had company with Kurt, Wanda, and Emma. Kurt was sitting next to him. He kept to himself for the most part, which Logan interpreted as a sign that something else was bothering him.

"You just gonna sit there and stare at your drink? If so, that's a lousy way to get drunk," asked Logan, who was working on his third bottle of whiskey.

"I'm not trying to get drunk, Logan," said Kurt as he swirled his drink.

"That's a hell of a missed opportunity, bub," scoffed the feral mutant, "For one, you're in a city that doesn't have a drinking age. Second, you're in one of the few places on Earth where being a mutant ain't that big a deal. After we saved this dump, we're practically royalty. Hell, I even see some of the girls checking you out."

"Vhat's you're point, Logan?" he said in a flat tone.

"You mean other than your complete lack of respect for alcohol?" quipped the feral mutant, "Face it, Elf. You have no excuse. You can hide your problems when we're in the field, but when you're out like this trying to unwind it's as obvious as your appearance. You're choosing to be miserable and it's a damn lousy choice."

Logan made a crude yet valid point. He really couldn't hide his problems. He couldn't use his appearance or his powers as an excuse. In Nova Roma, that wasn't an issue since he was a recognized hero of the republic. Looking up, he noticed that some of the other patrons were checking him out. A handful were still repulsed, but others looked intrigued. It wasn't a look he could have gotten anywhere else, yet he still brushed it aside.

"Are you at least gonna watch Frost emasculate two more man? It's a hell of a lot more interesting than misery," said Logan as he watched the two men makes a fool of themselves over Emma.

"I don't need to know how Emma handles herself around young, Nova Roman men," said the German mutant.

"Then why the hell are you here?" he questioned, "You look as deadpanned as Wanda. Maybe you should try staring at her instead. I don't think she would mind."

Now Kurt _needed_ to take a drink. In wake of Logan's words, he gulped down his glass of cognac. In doing so Logan knew he struck a nerve.

"Or maybe that's part of your misery," Logan surmised, "And here I was thinking that it was only Amanda that was making you nuts."

"Amanda isn't making me nuts," said Kurt strongly, "She's in a coma."

"I ain't making light of that, but you seemed to be dealing with that just fine until Wanda showed up. Either something changed or something's in the process of changing."

Kurt turned his attention back towards Wanda, who was sitting in a booth not far from where Emma was flirting with the men. She was turning a few heads throughout the bar, but she kept to herself. At times, she looked back towards him, resulting in an awkward moment. She was clearly as uncomfortable as Kurt and that spoke volumes.

"I see. You've been rubbing elbows with Magneto's daughter and it started _chaffing_ , didn't it?" said Logan.

"I don't ask you about your history vith my mother. I hope you don't mind returning zhe favor," said Kurt as he signaled for another drink.

"That's where we're both fucked, Elf. You see, I don't wanna bust your balls about Wanda any more than you do. The problem is, I promised your mom I would look after you while she's undercover."

"Perhaps you can track down Rogue and catch up vith her. I'm sure she vould have plenty more to say," said Kurt as he started drinking more.

"Rogue's got Gumbo. She's also as durable as a tank. I ain't worried about her. You're the one with a comatose girlfriend that decided to join X-Force. You're also the one that got a bit too close to Wanda after Genosha fell apart. All in all, I'd say you need to be drinking more than me right now."

"If zhis is your vay of looking after me, zhen I zhink you should quit before you break my mother's promise," muttered Kurt.

"If she were here right now, she would be a lot harsher and you know it," Logan pointed out, "She would probably tell you that getting caught up with Magneto's kids is a problem that'll end with someone getting their heart ripped out. Just ask Iceman for proof. Then again, you're dealing with Amanda so you might actually be equipped to handle it."

"Are you encouraging me or discouraging me?" questioned Kurt. "Because I can hardly tell."

"I'm encouraging you to figure it out before it blows up in your face. You'll do yourself and Wanda a favor. I don't know what the endgame is for you two, but that's the kind of crap we deal with in X-Force. We fight the battles as they come and leave the self-loathing to Cyke."

Kurt chuckled slightly, which he attributed to the alcohol. These were serious issues of a personal nature that he couldn't keep ignoring. If he was to continue serving on X-Force, he had to work this out. It was hard enough waiting for Amanda to come out of her coma. Wanda's presence made everything harder. He couldn't afford to let them fester, especially when X-Force was in a vulnerable state.

While Kurt was lost in thought, Wanda was still struggling to relax. In between her wandering thoughts, she watched as Emma drew all sorts of attention from men and even a few women. Emma was so skilled that Wanda's presence was barely noticed.

She reminded her somewhat of Pietro, who loved to control a crowd. Emma was just did it in a less arrogant manner. She had long since enticed the two men that had been flirting with her to the point where they would follow her into a volcano. When Emma led them both towards her booth, Wanda couldn't help but be impressed by her bravado.

"Good news, Wanda. These strapping lads have agreed to keep us company for the rest of the night," said Emma as she toyed with the chin of one of the men.

"Us? Since when has there been an us?" said Wanda dryly, "You've been taking up the attention ever since we got here. I might as well be invisible."

"It's not my fault you decided to sit lifelessly at a table and occasionally _glance_ at Kurt," she quipped.

"Careful how you say _glance_ , Emma. I'm not afraid to hex you in a crowded place, you know," threatened Wanda.

"Ooh, this woman is feisty! I like her," said one of the men.

"She has the spirit of Artemis in her. She looks good in a skin-tight garb as well," said the other.

Wanda blushed under such attention. She wasn't used to people being attracted to her. On Genosha, everyone feared her. That was the baggage that came with being Magneto's daughter. Nova Roma was isolated and the citizens were more brazen. It was oddly reassuring, but Emma was inclined to take it a step further.

"See? They're more than willing to cheer you up if you let them," said Emma playfully, "Don't make me do all the work of making you more content."

"That's actually something I wouldn't mind seeing," said the man.

"Don't give her any lurid ideas…not yet anyways," said Emma.

"Emma, you're putting me in a very awkward position here," said Wanda, trying to hide her blush.

"Why shouldn't it be awkward?" she questioned, "You've been cooped up on this island, worrying endlessly about Genosha and all the insanity surrounding mutant affairs. You're clearly not making much progress so why shouldn't you clear your head with a little reckless debauchery?"

"You make it sound like a cure-all, Emma. Why are you trying to convince me that I need this? Is it just because you like belittling me?"

"No need to be hostile, darling. We're not enemies…not at the moment, anyways," shrugged Emma, "If you really need a reason, consider this…you're Magneto's daughter. And in case you didn't know, when Magneto starts brooding like this, it's usually a bad sign. Since you don't seem to give anyone else besides Kurt a chance, why shouldn't I try before something goes horribly wrong and…"

Emma stopped in mid-sentence while Wanda was finishing her drink. It was hard to tell if Emma was being sincere or just self-serving. Shaking her head, Wanda looked up towards the attractive blond with a harsh gaze.

"What's the matter, Emma? Did you run out of snide things to…"

Wanda froze as she took in Emma's expression. It was stuck, as if all the muscles in her body were tense. She couldn't move or talk. She noticed it on the two men as well. With growing confusion, she looked around and saw that everyone in the bar had the same look.

They were all frozen in place. They were still conscious, but their bodies were frozen. The music was still playing. The TVs were still on. However, everyone was still as a statue. Even Kurt and Logan were frozen, but they were actively fighting it.

"Hnn…Vanda," groaned Kurt.

"What's going on? What is this?" she demanded, her hands glowing with hex energy.

' _Relax, Miss Maximoff. They're fine. Their brains and their bodies just aren't on speaking terms at the moment.'_

Wanda recognized that telepathic voice. She immediately shot up and scanned the bar, preparing to hex the first thing that moved.

"I know that voice. Quentin! It's you, isn't it?" she shouted.

' _So you remember? Guess Pyro owes me twenty bucks. He and plenty others think you've been trying awfully hard to forget about your people.'_

"Spare me the mind games and show yourself!" Wanda demanded, "How did you even find me?"

' _Easy…I had help.'_

Wanda felt a familiar gust of wind course through the bar. Every frozen figure tensed, showing clear discomfort under the telepathic hold of Quentin Quire. She followed the mysterious gust to the front area where Kurt and Logan were sitting. Right next to Kurt, the domineering presence of Pietro Maximoff appeared.

"Hello, dear sister. It's been a while," he said as he took Logan's drink right out of his hand, "Sorry for the psychic trickery, but we need to have a talk. We need to discuss your return to the Brotherhood."

* * *

 **Meanwhile**

Cyclops was torn between listening to his brother and blasting him into the next time zone. It was a familiar conflict that had defined most of their recent encounters. He had just told him something with potentially huge ramifications. All the news reports he saw stated that every last drop of MGH was now in government hands. Now his brother was telling him this wasn't the case.

"Okay Alex…you have my attention," said the X-Force leader, "What are you up to this time? How did you manage to find us?"

"The mere fact that we found you in a place like this should be proof that I'm not lying. We really have MGH and we know how to use it," said Havok, "This is actually a test run, of sorts. We have a mutant named Scanner who can track certain mutants on a limited basis. But with a dose of MGH…well, let's just say it kicks Cerebrum's ass."

"And you don't think that's dangerous?" questioned Cyclops, "Didn't you see what that shit did to Beak and Jubilee?"

"Like I said, it was a test. She only got a small dose, but the results have been _encouraging_. We're not just talking about enhancing mutant powers here. We're talking about control and focus the likes of which Shaw could only dream of."

"If something like that's in your hands, then that's another crisis waiting to happen."

"So let me convince you otherwise," said Havok strongly, "Believe it or not, this could benefit you more than me."

Cyclops remained cautious as Havok approached. He didn't harbor the usual hostility he did during previous encounters. This was the first time they faced each other since the Genosha Exodus, which happened to be when he revealed that their father was still alive. That seemed to have a profound effect and Havok wanted to share it with him.

"Don't let this go to your head, bro, but I'm impressed with what you've done," said Havok as he looked around at their base, "I never thought you had it in you. You actually left the X-men when they did something we _both_ know is a mistaked."

"I'd rather not argue the merits of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. It's been a sore subject on way too many levels," said Cyclops dryly.

"I'm not one for politics so I won't even try, but I will say this…you're doing the right thing. You're on the right side. Forget what happened in Mexico. That just rearranged the deck chairs on the Titanic. It didn't change a damn thing."

"Are you actually encouraging me?" said Cyclops in a humored tone.

"I'm trying to show that we're on the same page for once. You know as well as I do that Professor Xavier has lost his damn mind. He's giving human authorities the power of judge, jury, and possibly executioner with this initiative of his. It may not look bad on paper, but it's only a matter of time before they start abusing it. You know I'm right about that so let's talk about the implications."

Cyclops finally took his hand off his visor. This was a rare moment. He and Havok actually agreed on something. It took a moment to sink in. As he processed this, Havok reached into his pocket and pulled out a small container of MGH.

"You see this shit? There's a lot it can do for us if we use it right," said Havok as he held up the container, "Shaw was an asshole. He didn't give a damn about mutants. He just wanted to control the power so he could be an even richer asshole than he already was."

"And are you hoping to steal his idea?" questioned Cyclops, "If you're tampering with MGH, you're playing with the kind of fire that will burn us all."

"We're not just tampering. We're refining it into something better. And this time, it's for the right reasons," Havok argued, "Genosha has been decimated. If you put all our Warlock colonies together, we have a total of 198 mutants left on our side. That includes me and the Brotherhood."

"I don't see how that counts as _all the right reasons_ ," quipped Cyclops.

"Think about it from another perspective. Part of Magneto's promise was giving mutants a place where they could use, control, and if necessary _contain_ their powers. He never came close to delivering on that promise. He thought the Cambrian would do that. He was wrong. Well, MGH can succeed where the Cambrian failed. We've already filtered out that mind-control shit that Shaw put into it. We're close to making another breakthrough that will completely change our fight and yours."

"Before I even begin to take that seriously, how exactly are you making these _breakthroughs_?" questioned Cyclops, "No offence, but you were never a science nerd and I can't think of anyone in the Brotherhood who is."

"We found a guy with a knack for this stuff. He's been using our Warlock hardware to do some pretty amazing shit," said Havok.

"Who is he and where did you find him?"

"That's information I don't trust you enough to reveal, but I'd like to change that. I admit I wouldn't have done this if you hadn't dropped the ball on our dad being alive. That said to me that we _can_ work together like we once did. We're both on the run from the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. We both see the trouble that's brewing. Between X-Force and the Brotherhood, we could be unstoppable. We could end this fight before it blows up in everyone's face!"

"That's all well and good, Alex. But skip to the catch. What's the price my team will have to pay to go along with this?" asked the X-Force leader intently.

"Well, I could fight you for it again, but we both know how that usually turns out," said Alex dryly, "Instead, why don't we turn it around a bit? What would _I_ have to do for _you_ to get X-Force to team up with the Brotherhood?"

Cyclops was taken aback. He had never seen this kind of reasoning from his brother. The revelation about their father had a genuine impact on him. He looked dead serious. He wanted X-Force to work with the Brotherhood. On the surface, it sounded like an outrageous proposition. But as he looked at the container of MGH, Cyclops knew it was something he couldn't ignore.

In many ways, Havok was right. X-Force and the Brotherhood were in a similar position. They were both opposing the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. They were both on the run and the recent events in Mexico had them at a disadvantage. They needed a game-changing move and they needed it soon.

If Havok was as serious as Cyclops suspected, then he really may have something. That revealed just how desperate he was becoming. Yet as he was pondering this offer, he received an unexpected telepathic message from Emma Frost.

' _Scott! You must…the Brotherhood…they're here.'_

Cyclops shifted briefly, doing his best to hide his demeanor from Havok. He tried looking away briefly so he could focus.

' _What is it, Emma? You're coming in with a lot of static.'_

' _Give me a sec! There's some…interference.'_

Cyclops stalled for a moment, pretending to think hard about Havok's offer. He started pacing, feeling his younger brother's harsh gaze every step of the way. As he paced, he received a series of jumbled images and telepathic warnings. It was like Emma was trying to reach him with a bad cell phone reception. However, she was able to get her message across. When Cyclops made sense of it, he tensed and turned back to his brother. Suddenly, he felt sick for actually considering this offer.

"You want to hurry it up, bro? Blob won't keep going easy on Domino," warned Havok.

"Actually, there is one way you could earn my trust," said Scott as he approached his brother.

"Name it," said Havok confidently.

"Tell me with a straight face that Pietro and Kid Omega aren't in the process of abducting Wanda and mind-wiping her. And while you're at it, tell me you weren't going to use Kid Omega to mind wipe _us_ if we didn't cooperate."

Havok's demeanor shifted as if Cyclops punched him in the gut. His once reasonable disposition turned to frustration as he started muttering curses under his breath.

"Damn you, Quentin," he grumbled.

"Thought so," said Cyclops, "In that case, here's my response!"

With a mix of outrage and frustration, Cyclops fired an optic blast right at his brother's hand. This knocked out the container of MGH and left him momentarily stunned. Then Cyclops moved in and hit him with a knee to the gut, which incapacitated him and allowed Cyclops to pin his brother against a nearby table.

"Ungh! Damn it, Scott! Think about the bigger picture here!" exclaimed Havok as he choked under his brother's grip.

"I already have. You're the one that's putting it off," seethed Cyclops, "Mind control? Deceit? You really think the end justifies the means this time?"

"Hnn…if you saw what we were doing, you'd understand," said Havok, now short of breath.

"And _that_ , little brother, is why things like the Mutant Monitoring Initiative happen. Don't you see? You're just proving everybody else right! Whatever you're doing, I'm pretty damnb sure it's worth stopping!"

Havok grunted in disappointment. He really thought this was their chance to work together. Thanks to Quentin's poor psychic shields and Cyclops's stubbornness, they were going to have to do this the hard way.

"Sorry bro…can't let you do that," grunted Havok.

Despite being under Cyclops's grip, Havok managed to kick him in the knee. That stunned him just enough to loosen his grip. From there, Havok fired an energy blast at his face. Even though their respective powers couldn't do much harm to one another, it did knock Cyclops's visor off.

That allowed Havok to break free from his grip and strike back with haymaker to the jaw. As soon as Cyclops fell back, Havok shoved him to the floor and placed his foot over his neck.

"I didn't want it to be like this, bro. I wanted us to be a family again. Now that dad's alive, isn't that something worth fighting for?" yelled Havok.

"Err! Not like this," grunted Cyclops as he tried to push Havok's foot off his neck.

"That's a shame. Because now I gotta wait until Quentin is done with Wanda so he can mind wipe you too. One way or another, you're not stopping us!"

"Forgetting something?" came an unexpected voice from behind.

Havok instinctively turned around to see Warpath standing behind him. He had since recovered from being thrown through the door by Blob. Now he was poised to vent his anger out on Havok.

The younger Summers brother tried to turn around and blast him, but Warpath didn't allow it. With a less-than-casual swipe, he sent Havok flying across the room. He impacted the wall right next to where the door had been shattered. The blow knocked the wind out of the younger Summers brother. It allowed Warpath to help Cyclops back to his feet and return his visor.

"I don't take too kindly to being mind-wiped _or_ thrown through doors," said Warpath, "If you weren't Cyclops's brother, I wouldn't have been so gentle."

"Next time, don't give him the courtesy," said Cyclops as he caught his breath.

"Hnn…you're gonna regret this. That's _not_ just a threat!" grunted Havok.

"Then maybe you should have Kid Omega mind-wipe you too," quipped Warpath.

Seething with frustration, Havok prepared another blast. He couldn't leave without making sure X-Force forgot about this meeting.

"Blob! If you're done with Domino, get back in here. We have a situation!" yelled Havok.

"Give him a minute. He's almost done!" shouted Domino from the other room.

The sound of Domino's voice came as a surprise. Havok thought that Blob would have handled her by now. While still catching his breath, he turned to his right and saw Blob's oversized figure emerging through what was left of the door way. His uniform was littered with bullet holes. Some parts of his body were actually smoking. His expression was dazed, as if he had been hit in the head by a wrecking ball. He lumbered forward only a few steps before falling flat on his face.

"Ugh…" was all he got out.

"Aww, poor baby," said Domino coyly as she emerged behind him, casually twirling her guns, "Looks like he'll need a nap."

"Do I even want to know what you did to him, Dom?" said Warpath in a humored tone.

"Let's just say I got in a few lucky shots…amongst other things," she said.

The situation was declining rapidly for Havok. Looking at Blob and then at Domino, he realized his fallback plan was no longer viable. He couldn't stall these three on his own and expect Kid Omega to come through. He had already disappointed him. He had to assume that this mission was lost.

"Whatever plans you had to salvage this stunt of yours, I suggest you drop them, Alex," said Cyclops as he approached his younger brother.

"Okay, I'll say it. I overestimated Kid Omega only slightly more than I underestimated _you_ ," he retorted.

"We have psychics of our own, you know? We can find out what you're up to whether you want us to or not," warned Cyclops.

"You'd allow someone to mind rape your own brother? Dad would be ashamed," scoffed Havok, "Lucky for me, you can't mind rape someone that isn't here."

Before Cyclops could take another step closer, Havok pressed a button on his belt.

"Blink, extraction plan alpha!" he yelled.

Almost immediately, Blink appeared between Blob and Havok. Cyclops tried to reach him before they disappeared, but he couldn't. Havok and Blob disappeared into Blink's portal before he got close enough. Just as he disappeared, Havok shot his older brother a harsh gaze. It wasn't a taunt as much as it was a scold. It was a show of disgust the likes of which struck Cyclops harder than any punch ever could.

"Damn you, Alex," said the X-Force leader distantly.

"He's always got a failsafe. Just like you," commented Domino.

"Don't remind me," grumbled Cyclops.

"Don't get too outraged, Cyclops. It isn't a total loss," said Warpath as he retrieved the container of MGH that Havok dropped, "Looks like your brother left us a consolation prize."

"Sorry Warpath, but it's not very consoling," said Cyclops who was already running out the shattered door, "I'll feel _marginally_ better if we go after Wanda and stop the Brotherhood from taking her."

* * *

 **Jupiter Parlor and Bar**

"Errr! Pietro…what's happening? I…can't move," grunted a now paralyzed Wanda Maximoff.

"Don't fight it, Wanda. You'll only make it worse," said Quicksilver as he approached.

"Trust me, you don't want to risk the brain damage. No more than necessary anyways," came another snide voice.

"Stay quiet and stay focused, Quentin. We don't need anybody moving, listening, or remembering what's going on for that matter," said the speedster, "This is between me and my sister."

Wanda felt as though every muscle in her body had turned to stone. She couldn't move, but she was still conscious. Everyone in the bar was in a similar state. From the main entrance, Quentin Quire emerged. He looked remarkably calm for someone who was probing the minds of so many people. It was a power she hadn't seen Kid Omega demonstrate before. He followed Quicksilver closely, standing next to Emma Frost while the speedster addressed his sister.

"Sorry for the discomfort, but I had a feeling you wouldn't hear me out. You've been hanging around former X-men for over six months so I assume they've corrupted you to some extent," said Quicksilver, "Thanks to Kid Omega's new trick, we can skip the part where you hex me several times before you start listening."

"I'll hex you…even more if you don't…quit playing dirty. This is low…even for you," said Wanda, seething with anger.

"I know it is. Trust me when I say I take no pleasure in having to psychically restrain my own sister. But I don't blame it on you, Wanda. Hell, I don't even blame it on these phony X-men. I blame myself. And for that, I'm sorry."

That admission was almost as stunning as Kid Omega's psychic attack. Her twin brother rarely apologized for anything. It was even rarer when the apology was sincere.

"This was my fault. I didn't look hard enough for you after Genosha disbanded," Quicksilver went on, "We didn't pin-point your location until earlier this week. I can't say I blame you for hiding out in a place like this. After the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, you needed somewhere to lay low."

"If you're trying to win sympathy, you should quit while you're behind," grumbled Wanda.

"I could care less about sympathy. I'll settle for cold hard facts," he said, "You see, Genosha may be disbanded, but our father's vision is _far_ from dead. We still have 198 mutants on our side. We have Warlock colonies in remote areas all over the world. We've been biding our time, waiting for an opportunity to unite once more. Well that opportunity has come and I want you to be part of it."

"I figured as such. Whatever this opportunity is…if it involves more psychic attacks, then I'm more than a little skeptical," said Wanda.

"Oh I know I can't convince you," said Quicksilver, "I learned my lesson with Lorna. Once the X-men influence you, it can't be undone. I've been watching you for the past week and I can tell they've already gotten to you."

"They haven't _gotten_ to me. They've helped me. Must you mistake every act of charity as a conspiracy?"

"You're wrong. I know they've gotten to you. The way you've been looking at smurf boy over there is proof of that," said Quicksilver, gesturing over the Nightcrawler, "If I were to threaten him right now, would that _really_ piss you off? Would you be willing to mortally wound your own brother for the sake of some X-man who just happened to be nice to you?"

Wanda's gazed hardened. It was obvious that Quicksilver had been watching her. If he saw even half of what she had been going through lately, then he had all the excuses he needed to take extreme measures. She dreaded where this would lead her.

"I thought so," said Quicksilver, "There's a lot I want to tell you. The Brotherhood is preparing something big. However, I won't divulge anything until the past six months have been put into their proper _context_."

"Context? What do you mean?!" exclaimed Wanda.

"I mean that as far as we're concerned, these past few months didn't happen for you. The last thing you'll remember is saving Genosha from that nuclear attack. Then you'll wake up from a special _coma_ at our base," he explained with a crass tone.

"In other words…you're going to wipe my mind, aren't you?" said Wanda as she surmised his plan.

"It's the only way, I'm afraid."

"Bullshit! What kind of brother does that to his own sister?"

"That kind that cares enough to spare you the same fate Lorna suffered," retorted Quicksilver, "I need you for this, Wanda. If I can't convince you, then this is the only way. I don't expect you to understand. Thankfully, you'll never have to."

"Errrrrrrrr! Go to Hell, Pietro!" yelled Wanda in a rage.

Quicksilver shut out her outrage and turned to Quentin. The sooner they got it over with, the sooner they could put it behind them. He wanted his sister back and he was willing to cross any line to get it.

"She's ready, Quentin. Make it quick," said Quicksilver.

"If she resists, it may take a while. It may be pretty painful too," warned Kid Omega.

"Do whatever it takes," was all the speedster said.

The powerful psychic shrugged. He was enjoying his new psychic talents too much to not push them further. Wanda Maximoff presented a challenge, but his mind was up for it. Being with the Brotherhood allowed him to embrace his skills in so many devious ways.

"This should be fun," said Kid Omega, cracking his knuckles before turning to Emma Frost, "Sit tight, Miss Frost. Once I'm done with this, I'll test a few other _tricks_ if we have time. I'm sure a fellow psychic like you would appreciate it."

"Hnn…amanath," said Emma, finding it difficult to talk.

"What was that? Were you about to compliment my many talents?" said Kid Omega coyly as he leaned in closer to the paralyzed woman.

"I said…piss off."

Then in a move that started both Quicksilver and Kid Omega, Emma broke free from her paralysis. The first move she made once she was in control of her body was to kick Quentin Quire in the groin as hard as possible. This not only caused Quentin to keel over in agony. It caused him to nearly lose his psychic grip on everyone in the bar.

"Augh! You…bitch!" exclaimed Kid Omega as he clutched his lower region.

"You're a powerful telepath to pull a trick like this, but you're still an amateur," scoffed Emma.

"Damn it, Quentin! Keep everyone paralyzed!" ordered Quicksilver.

"Quit yelling! I'm…trying!" groaned the powerful psychic.

Everyone in the bar twitched for a moment, but remained paralyzed. Acting quickly, Quicksilver took out a loaded syringe filled with a clear liquid and pointed it at Wanda.

"I didn't want to do this. But your new buddies just _love_ doing things the hard way!" said the speedster.

With his superhuman speed, Quicksilver tried to inject his sister in the neck with the syringe. He couldn't risk her breaking free from Kid Omega's paralysis. The needle was within mere centimeters of her skin when Quicksilver suddenly found himself surrounded by purplish hexing energy. Suddenly, he was now the one that was paralyzed.

"Really Pietro? First mind wiping and now drugs?" exclaimed Wanda, her eyes glowing with burning hatred, "Even father wouldn't stoop _this_ low. Since he's not here, I guess _I'll_ have to punish you!"

"Ooh boy," groaned Pietro as he was levitated into the air, "Quentin…a little help here?"

Wanda's outrage made her mind too difficult to paralyze. Although seeing her torment Quicksilver would be quite a spectacle, Kid Omega understood how this would be detrimental to their plans.

"Ugh…sure. Make me do all the work," grunted the young psychic.

He prepared to unleash a focused attack on Wanda's mind. He was so focused that he didn't notice Wolverine coming up behind him. He only realized it when Wolverine slammed a nearly empty bottle of liquor over his head. The bottle broke and the powerful psychic fell limply to the floor.

"Argh!" he exclaimed.

"Working hard, bub? Take a load off," snarled Wolverine as he tossed aside the broken bottle, "Oh, and you now owe me a bottle of whiskey!"

With Kid Omega out, his psychic hold on the patrons was released. But before a commotion could ensue, Nightcrawler appeared next to Emma Frost.

"Emma! Zhe people!" he shouted.

"Don't worry! I'll cloud their minds. And I'll be a _lot_ gentler than this little brat," said Emma, giving Quentin's unconscious form another light kick.

Within seconds, everyone in the bar was silent again. They weren't necessarily paralyzed this time. Instead, their eyes were closed and it was like they were sleeping on their feet. It ensured they would all be quiet and forget this little incident while Wanda glared daggers at her overly hexed brother.

The whole attack by Kid Omega went practically unnoticed for Wanda. She was too busy tightening her hex bolts on Pietro. She was so outraged that her brother would even attempt to do this to her. He didn't just cross a line. He betrayed whatever familial trust she had left in him.

"YOU SNIVILING, MANIPULATIVE ASSHOLE! HAVE YOU GONE AS CRAZY AS FATHER? AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, YOU'VE COMPLETELY ABANDONED HIS VISION! YOU'RE NO BETTER THAN SHAW!"

"Can't…breathe!" grunted Quicksilver, "Wanda…you must listen!"

"I'M THROUGH LISTENING TO YOU!"

She clenched her first, causing her hex bolts to intensify around her brother. His face and body contorted in ways that put great strain on his body. She had hexed him out of spite before, but not like this. She was prepared to do serious damage this time.

Upon seeing the look on her face, Nightcrawler ran up to her. While he couldn't blame her for being outraged, he couldn't stand to see her cross a line that she would regret. He had seen it crossed way too many times before with horrendous results. Braving stray hex bolts, he reached her and gently grasped her shoulder.

"Vanda don't!" he told her, "I zhink you've made your point."

"BACK OFF, NIGHTCRAWLER! THIS IS BETWEEN ME AND MY BROTHER!" yelled Wanda.

"If you're not careful, you'll be an only child. And you don't vant zhat."

"DON'T TELL ME WHAT I WANT! I'M SICK OF PEOPLE DOING WHAT THEY THINK IS BEST FOR ME!"

"I know how zhat feels. To have no little control over your fate…to curse your own heritage," he said in a calmer tone, "You don't have to destroy it in order to overcome it. You just need to be better. And I know you're better zhan zhis!"

"I…" she began through strained words.

"Please Vanda…you don't vant to fall into old habits. Zhey'll keep haunting you if you let zhem," he said in an empathetic tone.

Wanda continued glaring angrily at Quicksilver. Her anger urged her to make her brother pay. However, Nightcrawler's grip on her was a lot stronger than her anger. As she seethed through this agonizing rage, her hex bolts started to wane. Eventually, they ceased and Quicksilver fell breathlessly to the floor.

"Ungh! I'm ready…to call this a draw," he groaned, "I'm sorry, Wanda. I failed you."

"You failed us both," scorned Wanda, "And if you think I'll just let you go…"

"Wasn't planning on it," said the speedster.

While still catching his breath, he pressed a button on his belt.

"Blink! Extraction plan alpha!" Quicksilver shouted.

Wanda and Nightcrawler stumbled back as a bright portal appeared behind Quicksilver. From it, Blink emerged and swiftly retrieved him and Kid Omega.

"That's two for two," groaned Blink, "This night is a total bust."

"PIETRO!" yelled Wanda as she tried to run after him.

It was no use. The portal disappeared with Quicksilver and Kid Omega. In a flash they were gone. They left behind a confused X-Force and a beleaguered Wanda Maximoff. As Wanda looked at where her brother once stood, she fell to her knees. Tears started forming in her eyes as these painful events sank in. Nightcrawler was there to catch her, at a loss for words as she buried her face in his shoulder.

"Vanda, I'm…" he began.

"Shut up, Kurt," she muttered, "Just…shut up and hold me."

It sounded almost like a command, but Nightcrawler didn't question it. He continued to embrace her, having to hide his awkward demeanor. He didn't expect something like this, Wanda Maximoff crying in his arms. But it was clear now that there was no avoiding it.

As Wanda sulked in her anguish, Emma and Wolverine watched on. Emma still had everyone in the bar in her telepathic hold. They weren't aware of what was going on and planned to wipe their memories of any anomalies. However, there was no psychic powerful enough to override what was happening before them. It would have been ironic if it wasn't so tragic.

"This is where you usually say something crass, Frost," said Wolverine.

"This is also where you make a dirty joke or two," quipped Emma.

"Even I ain't that drunk. I ain't that heartless either," he said.

"Neither am I…although I'm sure you would contest that."

"We can debate that shit later. For now, just keep everybody's mind clouded. Give them a moment to collect themselves. They need it. And if Quickie wasn't bullshitting us, then we will too."

* * *

 **Later – Savage Land**

It was a common human fallacy. Strength was so easy for the strong to take for granted. The weak almost never had an opportunity to experience it. When they did, they understood how precious it was. In evolution, it was difficult for a stronger species to empathize with weaker species. Such empathy was maladaptive because if they understood the true value of their strength, then they would worry about losing it.

It was for this reason that Dr. Herbert Wyndam preferred working with the weak. Ever since he joined the Brotherhood in their ambitious affair, he came across way too many mutants that took their abilities for granted. Those such as Pietro Maximoff and Quentin Quire were especially arrogant. It was a major reason why they were lying on hospital beds inside his lab next to Freddy Dukes. At least Alex Summers knew how to fight back when his strength failed him.

' _These poor, naïve souls. No wonder they were so easy to convince. They need me a lot more than I need them.'_

Dr. Wyndham spared these three unfortunate mutants his pity. The lab they helped him build within the Warlock dome nestled deep within the Savage Land was far more important than their health. It was in this lab that he was formulating a breakthrough that would change the world. The Brotherhood wanted to regain their strength. Dr. Wyndham was willing to assist them, but only in as such it served him.

Turning his attention towards the center of the lab, he focused on a frail figure that was lying on a gurney. This figure was think, sickly, and in declining health. He was what remained of Vargas, the only human allowed to enter the Brotherhood's domain.

He was the very epitome of someone who was weak who craved to know what truth strength was. As he stood over the young man, he gathered a series of IV drips that were filled with reddish fluid. These special packages were the result of the MGH that the Brotherhood so generously retrieved for him. Looking over Vargas, he saw a man who was poised to be his first test subject.

"How much longer, Dr. Wyndham?" he asked in a weak tone.

"Soon, Mr. Vargas. Very soon," consoled Dr. Wyndham as he stared at the syringe, "Take comfort in the knowledge that you're be the first. You'll be the one that will lead humanity down a higher evolutionary path."

* * *

 **Up next: Unholy Man**


	11. Issue 159: Unholy Man Part 1

**Issue #159  
Unholy Man Part 1**

* * *

 _In a world that hates and fears them, the X-men use their extraordinary powers to fight for peace and understanding. Under Professor Charles Xavier's leadership, they've saved the world from destruction on numerous occasions. That same leadership led to a major divide within the team._

 _When Professor Xavier decided to unite the X-men with the government under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, some saw this as a mistake that would lead to great danger. The X-men that have gone astray formed X-Force, a team that vows to end the Mutant Monitoring Initiative before this danger grows._

 _For the moment, Professor Xavier's decision has been vindicated. The X-men scored a major victory against Sebastian Shaw. He had synthesized a potent drug known as Mutant Growth Hormone. With it, he hoped to both enhance and control mutants on a massive scale. The X-men and the MSA stopped him. They also confiscated much of his MGH supply, but this has led to some potentially new problems._

 _While Sebastian Shaw faces justice, the authorities seek to study MGH. It holds great potential, but some are wary of developing this drug. At the moment, Hank McCoy and Dr. Kavita Rao are studying it under SWORD, a secretive yet resourceful branch of the military. Some have voiced concerns about what this could mean for the future of mutants. Others are taking a more extreme approach._

* * *

 **Church of Humanity**

"In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Peace be with you," said Father Ryan Hansen.

"And also with you, Father," said the beleaguered Idie Okankwo.

"Can we go yet?" said an impatient Laurie.

"Hey, show some respect," said Jubilee with a scold, "This is important to Idie. Therefore, it's important to us."

Laurie shifted uncomfortably. She had never been much of a church-goer. She never intended to start even after her mutant powers completely unhinged her life. As part of her new life with Jubilee in District X, she was doing plenty of uncomfortable activities she never thought she would do.

That involved joining the others in a visit to the Church of Humanity for a full mass. After sitting through the procession, they stayed after to meet with Father Hansen privately. They had plenty to talk about and even though Laurie had been reluctant, she gave it a chance.

In wake of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, the Church of Humanity became more active than ever. Some of it was positive. Father Hansen saw his audiences grow over the past few months. New mutants facing hardships under this initiative needed guidance and comfort. Even regular people were joining his congregation, sometimes out of curiosity and sometimes out of spite.

There were plenty of instances where some voiced concerns about the direction humans and mutants were heading. Some were a lot more vocal than others. It never changed Father Hansen's message that God had a plan for mutants and humans alike.

For Idie, Teon, Kenji, Gabriel, Laurie, and Jubilee, it was hard to grasp that plan. After recovering from Shaw's influence, they started new lives in District X. Jubilee was their leader of sorts. She called them the Lights of District X because they were tasked with inspiring mutants that were doubtful of their future. Having overcome the worst of Shaw's influence, they were in a position to inspire others.

"Peace," said Teon as he mimicked Idie's gestures.

"Very good, Teon. I'm surprised you didn't try to eat all the wafers," said Kenji.

"Guess you're extra training with him has paid off, Idie," said Jubilee.

"Even a basic mind can appreciate the tenants of faith," said Father Hansen as he blessed Teon with a casual gesture.

"That or he knows we're getting donuts for lunch," said Gabriel with a smirk, "That's how my parents kept me going to church every Sunday since I was five."

"Does that not defeat the purpose?" questioned Kenji.

"It worked, didn't it?" shrugged Gabriel, "Sorry if that sounds underhanded, Father."

"It's quite alright. God is not opposed to incentives," said the priest in good humor.

"Then I'll try to provide more so we'll come regularly," said Jubilee, "Bishop was right. We need something like this after the whole Shaw fiasco. I would argue that mutants everywhere need it. I noticed the pews were more crowded today."

"That's probably because too many mutants placed their faith in Shaw," said Laurie, "Guess that makes him a false prophet or something."

"From what you've told me, I would say that's an accurate description," said Father Hansen, "That's a common problem for those who place too much faith in a fallible man. In this case, that man was carrying a lot of sin. That's why I believe the tragedy you experienced can become a blessing if you're willing to have faith. There's a lot of uncertainty surrounding man and God. Blessed beings like yourselves are the true lights of God's children. Don't ever forget that."

Jubilee and the rest of the lights smiled at the priest's encouragement. For all the scars left by Sebastian Shaw, it helped to have some inspiration to go by. District X and many mutants like them were still recovering from Shaw's downfall. They needed to be inspirational as well if they were to move forward.

"We won't, Father. You can count on that," said Idie strongly.

"And if anyone needs convincing that Sebastian Shaw wasn't worthy of faith, I can just show them my face," said Kenji, who was wearing a hooded coat.

"I think you'll do much more by convincing other mutants that there _is_ a better path. You're already on your way. I encourage you to stay true to it," said Father Hansen, "Now go in peace. And send my regards to Isaac when you see him."

"Sure thing!" said Jubilee as she let the Lights out of the church, "Thanks again for putting in some extra time for us. I hope God pays overtime."

Father Hansen laughed as he waved goodbye to the six young mutants. He took great pride in helping mutants at a time like this. The controversy surrounding the Mutant Monitoring Initiative tested the faith of many. He didn't take sides on the issue. He had his private views, but he left the rest in the hands of the Lord.

His church now empty, Father Hansen had some research to catch up on. As he turned back towards the front pews, he noticed a figure kneeling before the front altar that wasn't there previously. It was an elder man in a black coat and he appeared to be praying.

"Excuse me, but my sermon is over," he told the man.

"Forgive me, oh Holy Spirit. Cleans me of my sin," said the man in a desperate tone.

With growing concern, Father Hansen walked up to the man. He appeared troubled in a profound way.

"Sir, are you alright? Is there something I can help you with?" asked Father Hansen.

"Indeed there is, Father," said the man in a deep tone, "You can _repent_."

The man then shot up and turned around. As he did he revealed a loaded Glock pistol. Before Father Hansen could react, he fired a single shot. The powerful echo reverberated throughout the church. Father Henson's expression was frozen as he clutched his chest over where the bullet had struck. He then fell to the floor at the feet of the mysterious man. As he bled profusely, the man revealed himself as Reverend, William Stryker.

"You made a deal with evil, Father Hansen. You of all people should know the devil will collect his dues," said Stryker coldly as he stood over Father Hansen's body, "May God have mercy on your soul. Take comfort in the knowledge that you shall aid me in redeeming mine."

* * *

 **Southeast Asia**

Sebastian Shaw's reach was as vast as his greed. Now that he had been arrested, the extent of his vast enterprise was exposed. Law enforcement, government officials, and business entities all over the world were affected by his operations. The challenge was figuring out what to do with them, especially when it came to the mutants he employed.

"Please! Don't shut us down. I need this job," begged a desperate mutant woman as she stood before the X-men.

"Please calm down, Miss. We're not shutting down this whole farming operation," coaxed a somewhat overwhelmed Betsy Braddock.

"But you're shutting down the parts that matter," she argued, "I know it looks bleak to someone with manicured nails and overpriced perfume, but this is our livelihood. This won't just put me out of work. It'll rob dozens of people of what little they have!"

The X-men found themselves in an awkward position. Betsy, Gambit, and Piotr traveled to Southeast Asia with the MSA's East Asia division. They were tasked along with numerous governments with shutting down some of Shaw's less illegal enterprises.

In many parts of this region, Shaw Industries had massive agricultural operation. It was dirty in some ways. He usurped the land from smaller farmers, bribed local officials to overlook environmental regulations, and paid his workers horrendously low wages. Yet in other ways, it did some good that made it difficult to shut down.

The three X-men were standing in the vast field of rice patties as MSA operatives from China, Vietnam, and Thailand escorted hordes of workers out of the poorly constructed huts in the center of the property. Despite the poor conditions, many looked sad. Some were even crying.

They all claimed that this farm was one of the most productive in the region. It produced more food than all the surrounding farms combined. Shutting it down was sure to cause disruptions in the local food supply. The loss of jobs would only make it worse.

At the heart of this operation was a mutant from southern Europe. She was an elder woman with green skin, a frail disposition, and a light accent. She had the mutant ability to manipulate plant life. She feared that the Mutant Monitoring Initiative would prevent her from using her powers so she trusted Shaw to help her. Remarkably, he did as he promised. By shutting the farm down, they were shutting down something that meant a lot to her.

"Calm down, cherè. We ain't the bad guys here," coaxed Remy, "Besides, Betsy's perfume ain't _that_ fancy."

"You're not helping, Remy. And I'll thank you not to judge my shopping habits," scolded Betsy.

"You think this is a joke?" exclaimed the woman.

"Nyet, please excuse my comrades. We've been handling many Shaw Industries operations lately," said Piotr.

"I don't know how that man ran the rest of his company and I don't care. He gave me a job where I could make the most of my powers. I cared for these fields. I grew food for hungry people all over the world. On top of that, Shaw paid me more than I ever made in my home country. And it wasn't just in money either. He gave me peace of mind that your government wouldn't scrutinize my every move. It may not sound like much to you, but it means a _lot_ to me!"

The woman was getting hysterical, so much so that the grass around her sprouted thick weeds around her feet. She had to turn away from the three X-men to prevent herself from lashing out. After taking a few deep breaths, she finally calmed down somewhat.

"You X-men think you're doing the right thing. Shaw may have been a bad man, but he created something beautiful here. You see those people that you're kicking off this land?" she said, pointing towards the workers, "Even though the wages were low, this was one of the few jobs they could obtain. Without this farm, they'll be begging on the streets or worse. This whole area will suffer and for what? Because everything with Sebastian Shaw's name is tainted? If you're _that_ short-sighted, then I guess you're not really heroes anymore."

The woman stormed off to join the solemn workers as they left the land, leaving the three X-men to digest everything she said. They came thinking they were just dismantling another one of Shaw's sinister operations. They were learning that even greedy, power-hungry businessmen could do some good.

"This is becoming too common," said Piotr, "These mutants and these people should not have to pay for Shaw's crimes."

"If you have an alternative, I would _love_ to hear it," said Betsy with a sigh, "We have our orders. We need to expose _all_ of Shaw's illegal activities. That way we can be sure he stays in jail."

"There's evil, there's illegal, and then there's _this_ ," said Piotr as he looked back towards the workers, "In my home country, jobs like this were hard. People toiled endlessly for little pay, but that little pay was better than nothing. Losing their jobs is what turned many to the Russian Mob."

"I'm sure even they did some good for people. That doesn't make it right," argued Betsy.

"That's not the point! The mob is criminal. Shaw is a businessman. His greed, like it or not, helped these people. This isn't the first time either. I remember that mutant with yellow skin throwing rocks at us because we shut down one of Shaw's mining operations. Then there were those four mutants working at that offshore oil rig in the Persian Gulf. They threatened to blow themselves up if we didn't leave."

"So Shaw didn't screw _everyone_ over," Betsy conceded, "It's not like anything we're dismantling can't be rebuilt."

"That's assuming the Mutant Monitoring Initiative will let them," said Remy.

"Well, why wouldn't they?"

"That's damn good question. On top of that, we might as well ask why only Shaw seemed to employ mutants on this here level?" said the Cajun as he gestured over the field, "Even before the initiative, something had to be wrong for him to be the only game in town."

His logic was painfully coherent. Betsy hated it when he did that when they were dating. In a situation like this, it was almost as bad. The more she thought about it, the harder it was to ignore.

"Beyond the logistical concerns, I think there's a more important question relating to mutants. Will anyone be able to give mutants what Shaw offered?" questioned Piotr.

"I don't know. I'm sure there are plenty of other blokes as greedy as Sebastian Shaw," said Betsy, getting frustrated with this debate.

"Maybe there are. That don't mean they'll do it. Even if they wanna, some folks may not let 'em," said Remy.

"So now you and Piotr are Ayan Rand fans?" scoffed Betsy.

"Non, Remy's just saying that like it or not, Shaw found a way for mutants to profit from their powers. As a former thief, Remy knows the value of profit. It ain't always in dollar signs either. Shaw helped them live their lives on their terms. How can anyone offer that with things the Mutant Monitoring Initiative in their way?"

Betsy was ready to throw her hands up. She still favored having people answer to the law. Sometimes the law screwed people over by proxy. It wasn't fair, but what was the alternative? Even when they did good by arresting men like Sebastian Shaw, they still found a way to cause problems.

Having complicated their mission enough for one day, the three X-men were ready to leave with a sense of unease. There were still plenty of Shaw Industries operations to investigate. It probably wasn't going to get any easier. They were about to catch up with their MSA allies. Then Betsy's cell phone went off.

"Bloody hell, I've never been so _relieved_ to get a phone call before," she said.

"Better hope it ain't another one of Shaw's ex-employees," teased Remy.

"You're as ass, Remy. No wonder we broke up," sighed Betsy.

Remy shrugged innocently, which earned him somewhat of a chuckle from Piotr. They turned around to give Betsy some space. As she listened in, however, her demeanor quickly changed.

"What…slow down, Storm. What do you mean…are you sure? Who in the hell would do something like this? Have you…right, I figured. Do you know if he'll be okay? Or will…I understand. We'll get there as soon as possible!"

With new urgency, she put away her phone and caught up with Remy and Piotr again. Having heard part of her conversation, they were now both interested and worried.

"What is it, Betsy? Is something wrong?" asked Piotr.

"It's Father Hansen. He's…he's been shot!" she said, still in shock.

"What? Who would do such a thing?" gasped the Russian.

"Remy could think of a number of folk," muttered Remy, "How bad is it?"

"I'll fill you in once we're on the X-jet," said Betsy, already leading her teammates to the jet they had parked in a clearing, "He's still alive, but critical!"

"How critical?" asked Piotr.

"Well if he's a true man of God, then he's dangerous close to meeting him."

 **New York Memorial Hospital – Intensive Care Unit**

"By the blood of the Savior, someone shall pay dearly for this!" exclaimed a distraught Isaac.

"Please Isaac…your anger isn't helping," said a solemn Charles Xavier.

"I know it isn't! But what are we to do? Stand here while Father Hansen is at the very gates of death?"

"Just continue praying for him. I'm sure that's what he would want," said Ororo with a comforting gesture.

Isaac's outrage was shared by many. Shortly after receiving the news of Father Hansen's condition, the X-men rushed to the hospital. Professor Xavier convinced Captain Freeman to secure a private jet that took them to New York City. Ororo, Jean, and Rogue flew with him. Betsy, Remy, and Piotr arrived an hour later from Southeast Asia. They were told the same ghastly story.

It happened very quickly. Jubilee and her Lights weren't even clear of the church when they heard the gunshot. They quickly ran back inside only to find a wounded Father Hansen and no shooter. They called the police and an ambulance. Idie, Teon, and Jubilee stayed with him while the rest of the Lights returned to District X.

As soon as Isaac found out, he rushed to the hospital as fast as he could get a cab to take him. He arrived just as the doctors finished operating on him. They had removed the bullet, but it was not clear whether he would survive.

"Father Hansen…forgive us," said Idie solemnly as she sat by his bed, "We should've been there to protect you."

"Don't even _begin_ to blame yourself, Idie," said Jubilee, "It takes a sick mind to shoot a man of God. It would have happened no matter who was protecting him."

"But who would want to?" she said with tears in her eyes, "I get that some don't like his kind of preaching, but what sadistic soul would go this far?"

"Fight?" replied Teon as he nuzzled the distraught Idie.

"Teon might not be that far off," said Jubilee as she turned back towards the X-men, "I'm guessing someone wanted to pick a fight. We're gonna make them sorry they did, right guys?"

"Believe me, they'll be sorry. It's just a matter of finding out who we have to hunt down," said Jean Grey as she stood on the other side of Father Hansen's bed, "He's still alive. That means there's enough activity in his brain to reveal what he saw the moment he was shot."

"I'm more interested in the who," said Rogue, "If someone's calling us out, we gotta respond."

"That's assuming this homme has a plan and that plan makes sense, cherè," said Remy, who stayed close to his girlfriend.

"No. This can't be some mindless act of violence!" said Idie strongly, "God wouldn't allow that to happen. Would he?"

"No…he wouldn't," said Isaac strongly.

The young girl's eyes glowed ominously in her anguish. A tear flowed down one side of her face and a small ice cube formed on the other, representing the contrasting nature of of Idie's powers. They seemed to reflect her mood as her outrage sank in.

She had to lean on Jubilee and Teon for comfort. However, Isaac accepted no such support. He just solemnly clutched the lifeless hand of his pastor, praying for both Father Hansen's salvation and destruction to whoever did this to him.

It was hardship of a very personal nature. The X-men had been so busy taking care of logistical matters in wake of Sebastian Shaw's arrest that they overlooked the smaller matters. Father Hansen was more than just a friend. He preached a message of peace that resonated with humans and mutants alike. After their ordeal with Sebastian Shaw, their spirits couldn't take such a blow.

"This is terrible, Charles," said Ororo, "Beyond a wounded friend, I shutter to imagine the kind of backlash this will incur once word spreads."

"I'm sure riots in District X are forming as we speak," said Betsy, "The timing couldn't be worse either. It's coming on the heels of losing Shaw's phony charity."

"It'll be a crisis of faith in more than one way. That much we can be sure of," lamented Xavier as he watched over Father Hansen's prone form, "General Grimshaw said he was already deploying riot containment units to mutant communities, including District X. He agrees that finding the shooter quickly will be the best way to contain it."

"I am not too concerned about _containing_ anything. Whoever did this must face justice, riots or no riots," said Piotr strongly.

"And they will," assured Professor Xavier, "It's only a matter of finding the shooter before their trail goes cold."

"Then why is Jean still scanning Father Hansen's mind?" questioned Betsy, "If you weren't able to pick up on something, then why would she?"

"Hey, I can still hear you guys!" said a frustrated Jean Grey, "Give me some peace and quiet. I'll find something."

Professor Xavier shook his head and turned away from the sight. Ever since the Shaw mission, Jean had been on edge. It was as if she were trying to prove that she was the same powerful psychic before the Phoenix Force went dormant. She was only frustrating herself further because Professor Xavier knew that Father Hansen was too wounded to reveal anything.

Remy and Rogue lingered closely to Jean. Isaac continued praying with Idie and Jubilee sitting across from him. Professor Xavier chose to give them some space so he could address the rest of his X-men. Given the fragile nature of their cause, they needed a plan they could act on soon.

"Say Jean doesn't find anything," said Ororo under her breath, "What's our next move, Charles?"

"That's what I've been wondering, Ororo," said Professor Xavier, "Captain Freeman is working with the NYPD to investigate the scene. He said that based on his assessment, the shot was fired by someone who wasn't exactly a trained killer. Father Hansen wouldn't be alive if he was."

"So I guess this mean we can rule out assassins and the Brotherhood," Betsy surmised, "Could it really be just some random redneck who doesn't like all the good press the Mutant Monitoring Initiative has been getting lately?"

"It's possible, but doubtful," said Professor Xavier, "I believe that Jubilee may be right in her assessment. Someone is trying to provoke us."

"Well I'd say they succeeded," said Piotr bitterly.

"But that makes even less sense," said Betsy, putting her criminology skills to use, "If someone wanted to pick a fight, they would have left a message or something. Just shooting a man doesn't reveal much."

"Perhaps there's something we overlooked?" questioned Ororo.

"It's possible," said Professor Xavier as he pondered further, "I'm more interested in who would have the _audacity_ of such provocation."

"Perhaps they just have a death wish," Piotr suggested.

"That would be _convenient_ , but I doubt it," said Betsy, "Somewhere along the line, some sick bloke thought they could send a message. They're probably ready for a response and just waiting for us to catch up with them!"

"Then we had best not let them down," said Ororo strongly, "Something will turn up. We may just not be looking in the right places."

"That still begs the question…where _haven't_ we looked?" asked Xavier.

The pressure was on to uncover a solution and this time it didn't come from anxious government officials. Their personal stake in the battle was all the motivation they needed. There had to be something they missed. If someone were bold enough to call out the X-men, they had to have left a clue of sorts.

While the team agonized over such details, the door to the unit opened and a female surgeon entered. She was the one who had been tasked with treating Father Hansen since he came in and it looked like she was nervous about something.

"Professor Xavier…we need to talk," said the surgeon anxiously.

"What is it, doctor? Has Father Hansen's prognosis changed?" asked Professor Xavier.

"No, he's still critical. My team is still analyzing the post-op damage. But while I was cataloging all the procedures, I noticed something about the bullet we extracted," she said.

"I thought it was a standard nine-millimeter slug," said Betsy.

"Yes, we thought so as well. But the copper casing around the bullet had been altered," the surgeon explained, "Initially, the bullet was a hallow-point. That meant that as soon as it impacted the victim, it should have expanded and done more damage. But it didn't. Someone with a proficient understanding of firearms created a secondary casing. This casing kept the bullet from warping. It also protected something inside."

"So there was something was actually _inside_ the bullet?" said Ororo with growing intrigue.

"See for yourself," said the doctor as she held out her hand, "It was written on special paper that could resist the impact. I think it's meant for you X-men."

"How do you figure?" asked Piotr.

"Because it's addressed to _you_ ," she said ominously.

Now both curious and a little disturbed, Professor Xavier took the bullet in his hand. He noticed it had already been opened. A tiny slip of paper had been rolled up so that it was no bigger than a thimble. As he unrolled it, the others crowded around him. Xavier held it up to the light so they too could see what it said and who was responsible for it.

"God will damn you and so shall I, X-men," Professor Xavier read, squinting so he could read the text, "Meet at Purity Church. Reverend William Stryker."

As soon as Xavier said this name, a wave of outraged filled the room. Jean, Idie, Teon, Rogue, Remy, and Jubilee all turned their attention to the Professor. Isaac had already shot up in a blind rage.

"Stryker! That unholy blasphemer!" exclaimed Isaac, "I should have known someone with so dark a soul was behind this."

"I have to say it's disgustingly appropriate," grunted Jubilee.

"I remember that name," said Idie, who was a bit more confused, "He's that man who used to work for the President, right?"

"That was until President Kelly found out he was too zealous, even for government," muttered Rogue, "That fella just ain't satisfied with mutants not being in Hell!"

"Well, I shall be happy to lead him," seethed Isaac, "He has already told us his location. I say we oblige him and send him to the Devil where he can be properly punished!"

"That won't be necessary, Isaac," said Professor Xavier, offering a calming gesture to the enraged holy man, "Stryker asked for us. Not you."

"He attacked the blessed! He attacked my mentor and friend!" exclaimed Isaac, "Do not deny me this righteous battle!"

"Isaac please," said Rogue in a more empathic tone, "Someone needs to stay behind and pray for Father Hansen. Ah think he would want that someone to be you."

Isaac's lips quivered with anguish. He clenched his fists, wanting nothing more than to unleash his righteous fury on William Stryker. Rogue placed a hand on his shoulders. As someone who had worked with him and grown fond of him, she was strong enough to pull him back in more ways than one. Eventually, he held his head low and sighed.

"God, give me the strength to channel this anger," he said solemnly.

"If it makes you feel better, we'll be sure to break a few extra bones," said Betsy.

"The only consolation I will accept is seeing that false prophet brought to justice," said Isaac.

"And he will be," assured Charles Xavier, "I'll contact Captain Freeman. We'll organize a focused assault on Stryker's church and bring him in just as we did Sebastian Shaw."

"I expect it to be every bit as satisfying," said Piotr.

"But like Shaw, this could be a trap," said Ororo, "Stryker has been laying low since that CIA ordeal with Henry Gyrich. Why would he make such a brazen move to draw us out at a time like this?"

"Maybe our recent success has him panicking. Maybe he thinks he can turn the tide against us by provoking the X-men?" Betsy speculated.

"Or maybe he's gone that crazy believing his god has failed him," said Jubilee, rolling her eyes.

"Well, maybe if you guys gave me some more time, I could get a few more clues from Father Hansen's memory," said Jean, still frustrated with her telepathic probe.

"Give it a rest already, Jean. You ain't going to find anything," said Rogue dryly.

"We don't know that yet," she said.

"She's right, Jean. We have the information we need," said Professor Xavier, "Let Father Hansen's mind heal on its own."

Jean reluctantly halted her psychic probe. She was almost as frustrated as she was outraged. Her inability to push her powers as she had with the Phoenix once again hindered her. If Ororo was right and Stryker was setting a trap for them, then they needed all the information they could extract. It didn't look like she was going to get it. As was the case with Shaw, the X-men were prepared to walk into another trap.

Swallowing her frustration, Jean joined the Professor with Rogue and Remy. He, Piotr, Betsy, and Ororo were eager to get moving as well. Isaac, Jubilee, Idie, and Teon remained by Father Hansen's bedside. Reverend Stryker was brazen enough to draw the wrath of the X-men. They had no intention of disappointing him.

"I hope you'll continue praying for our friend," Professor Xavier continued as he addressed the rest of his X-men, "He's a good man who embodies the spirit of the X-men's dream. Reverend Stryker thinks he can damage that spirit. Let's prove him wrong."

"Oh we will! No trap is gonna keep meh from getting a few shots on this unholy asshole!" said Rogue as she eagerly cracked her knuckles.

"Wait," said Idie, stepping forth before the X-men could leave.

"Idie, if you're going to ask to tag along, I'm inclined to hogtie you," said Jubilee.

"It's not that," she said, "But if Stryker is setting a trap like you suspect, then take Teon with you. He's like a blood hound. If something's wrong, he'll sniff it out."

"Me? fight?" said Teon, who looked surprised by Idie's request.

"Indeed," said Isaac, offering a supporting gesture to Teon, "At least one of us should go along on this divine mission."

Professor Xavier was normally inclined to reject such a request. However, the idea of walking into a trap without an added countermeasure seemed detrimental. Even with the MSA backing them up, there was no telling what kind of damage Stryker could do. After only some brief contemplation, Xavier made his decision.

"Very well. Teon may accompany us," said Professor Xavier, "We may need his instincts to give us a leg up over Stryker."

"So you willing to let a fella with poor impulse control, durability, and heighten senses tag along? I think someone misses Wolverine," teased Remy.

"Me fight! Me fight!" said Teon eagerly as he joined the X-men.

"Well he's already more well-mannered than Wolverine, so why not?" shrugged Betsy.

The primal mutant seemed enthusiastic about joining the X-men. He was an unusual case to say the least, but he carried himself like a loyal blood hound. That could come in handy against a man as devious as William Stryker.

"He may be tough, but look after him anyways," said Jubilee, "I'll head back to District X. I'm sure Bishop and Multiple will need help keeping the peace until this insanity is resolved."

"We'll provide updates on Father Hansen's health as well," said Idie.

"Understood," said Professor Xavier with a nod, "We'll try to resolve this matter quickly. Reverend Stryker is an unstable soul who isn't afraid to take drastic measures. His misguided crusade must be stopped once and for all!"

* * *

 **Wright Patterson Air Force Base – Holding Cell**

' _These foolish, deluded pawns. Do they truly believe they can contain a king? They can attack my wealth. They can block my mutant abilities. But they will never usurp the Black King!'_

Outrage and humiliation were unfamiliar feelings for Sebastian Shaw. Once a modern-day king, he was now reduced to the level of a glorified inmate. He no longer wore elaborate, custom-made clothes. His only attire was an orange jumpsuit with a number on it.

He no longer had the power return the punishment others tried to inflict on him many times over. His powers were inhibited thanks to a special collar around his neck and a dampening field around an eight-by-twelve-foot cell. It was no life fit for a king. Thanks to a fateful betrayal, his entire kingdom was crumbling.

The X-men, the MSA, and many governments all over the world were making it their crusade to see him prosecuted. They went to great lengths to ensure that he remained in custody. They did not keep him in a regular prison. They didn't even put him in other mutant prisons where others like Toad were housed.

While he was preparing to go on trial, the MSA worked with the Pentagon to keep him housed at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. They constructed a special holding area just for containing him. It would be flattering if it wasn't so pathetic. He was never allowed out of his cell and his every move was highly scrutinized. If he was going to use his vast resources to escape, the authorities weren't going to make it easy for him.

Every spare moment was spent contemplating his escape and eventual return to power. In his confined cell, he had little to do besides sleep and pace. He had been walking around in circles for the past hour, thinking about how he ended up here. A single betrayal led him here. That betrayal was the key to everything.

' _I will not be reduced to a pawn. How could HE betray me? He had so much to gain from my success. My spies never reported anything out of the ordinary. Then again, I lost more spies on this deal than any other. What was his motive? What could he have to gain by going back on our deal?'_

As Shaw paced, a trio of guards appeared at the front of his cell. His whole containment unit was basically a big metal box with power dampeners built into it. The front part was made of transparent bulletproof. Whenever Shaw had a visitor, they had to speak to him through a special intercom. It was noisy so it always interrupted his thoughts.

"Mr. Shaw, you have a visitor," said one of the officers, "Another pen pal from the Justice Department has a few questions."

"Oh what fun," said Shaw dryly, "Don't they get tired of harassing me?"

"Near as I can tell, it's their new favorite pastime," quipped another guard, "You know the rules. The dampeners are up. Your collar is still on as a failsafe. Try anything and you're only mutant power will involve bullet holes."

"No need to talk down to me. You're bad at it anyways," quipped Shaw, "Send her in. Let's get this over with."

Shaw stopped pacing and stared distantly at the wall behind his bed. With his back turned to the guards, they opened the elaborate series of locks that caused the glass door to slide open. They all stood by carefully to make sure that Shaw didn't try anything.

They kept their assault rifles ready even as a neatly dressed woman with dark hair, thick-rimmed glasses wearing a gray pants suit entered. She looked like a standard government agent from the Justice Department.

"Mind if we have a little privacy, gentlemen?" asked the woman, "I must speak with my client with some margin of candor."

"This isn't a conjugal visit. We'll turn our backs, but don't forget that every square inch of this area is being recorded," said the lead guard.

"That's fine. This won't take long. It all depends on how stubborn Mr. Shaw is willing to be."

The guards scoffed, not envying the woman's task. They still honored her request, turning their backs and giving them some space. Shaw seemed unaffected by it. He wasn't inclined to make use of it. He didn't seem to care either. Even as the woman approached, Shaw kept staring at his wall. Soon, a humored grin formed on his face.

"You can drop the façade, Emma. I know it's you," said Shaw.

"Don't make me spoil this elaborate disguise that I've psychically conjured. You know better than most that I don't like hiding my womanly figure," said the cold voice of Emma Frost.

"The cameras are still watching, Emma. If you want to put on one of your old _shows_ , I won't stop you," he said in a taunting tone.

"All cameras and sensors have been taken care of. It's amazing what some of my gifted computer savvy students will do for extra credit," she said.

"You're making your students accessories to infiltration and deception? It seems you've taken much of what I taught you to heart."

"Don't start with me, Shaw. As far as the world is concerned, Emma Frost is back in Boston tending to her students. If I can get a student to deceive this base's security system, I can surely get him to cover up a gruesome murder in your cell."

Sebastian Shaw kept grinning as he turned to face his former pupil. She let down some of her disguise, revealing that part of it was a psychic illusion. Her blond hair and ample cleavage became more readily apparent. She woman was another product of betrayal. He made sure that she paid a price for that betrayal. Even in a prison cell, Shaw still took a sick satisfaction in his work.

"My sweet, vindictive Emma," he taunted, "You turned down a chance to be my queen, yet you still act like one. It would be sad if it wasn't so _poetic_."

"You think my threats are empty?" she said coldly, "If I recall, you also taught me how to torture my enemies."

"And you learned quite well," said Shaw casually, "It shows in how willing you are to break into my holding cell. I don't want to imagine how many laws that breaks. I'm sure it won't set a good example for your students or your children. How are your little Cuckoos by the way?"

"Don't you _dare_ mention them!" exclaimed Emma as she grabbed Shaw by the collar, "I have every right to torture you just for what you did to them."

"Even if that were true, I know you won't," he said smugly.

"What makes you so damn sure?"

"Because I have something you want," he told her, "You wouldn't have risked this elaborate ploy just to torture me. Even you're not _that_ arrogant."

Emma glared angrily at the devious man before her. Her every nerve ached to put Sebastian Shaw in a world of pain. For everything he had done, there was no torture that could do justice to all his victims. Those victims included her and her daughters. Emotions ran high, but she was on a mission on behalf of X-Force. As much as she hated him, she needed Shaw in one piece.

"You're going to suffer for your crimes, Shaw. I swear on the lives of every daughter you took from me, you will be punished accordingly! But it won't be today," she said as she let go of his collar.

"That's fine with me. Gives me more time to address less trivial concerns," said Shaw casually.

"Yes. Let's talk about those _concerns_ ," said Emma in a more serious tone, "Namely the ones that led you to this _luxurious_ jail cell in the first place."

"You're not just going to rip the information from my mind? Honestly, Emma, I'm disappointed. I thought you were more ambitious than that."

"Oh believe me, I would _love_ to render you a drooling, brain-dead vegetable. However, I'd rather not risk lowering the dampening fields. I don't trust that a single power-inhibiting collar will restrain your trickery."

"You almost sound afraid."

"And you sound more smug than usual," she quipped, "You know what I'm capable of and if you're serious about escaping justice, you'll want to keep your mind in once piece. That's why you had best tell me what I want to know."

"What's to stop you from tormenting me anyways?" Shaw shrugged.

"Because contrary to your _astronomical_ arrogance, I'm not your queen," said Emma strongly, "I'm not as sadistic as you. Although at times, I wish I were."

Shaw kept grinning. No matter what Emma Frost did to him, his influence on her was apparent. She didn't want to be like him, yet in doing so she had to spare him her wrath. It was pathetic, but it worked in his favor.

"Oh I could listen to your wishful thinking all day, Emma. But seeing as how I have so few visitors, why don't we cut to the chase?" said Shaw.

"So you're going to make this easy on yourself for once?" she said.

"That depends," he replied, "You see, in this case we may both be the pawns in a much larger chess match. If you insist on seeking the true king, then why should I stand in your way? However, when you hear about the kind of players involved, you may think twice."

* * *

 **White House – Oval Office**

In certain lines of work, there were bound to be piles of skeletons accumulating in the darkest recesses of the darkest places. Politics had more than its share, but there were certain conflicts that even the most powerful leaders on the planet avoided. It wasn't always that they couldn't be confronted. It was the fallout they would incur if they did so.

The arrest of Sebastian Shaw offered a treasure trove of dirty secrets. All major media outlets were ablaze with scandals. There were reports of Shaw's decadent lifestyle, corruption that ran through the highest levels of government, and business practices that justified every negative stereotype of greedy businessmen. Some of those secrets had major implications. A select few would be especially dangerous if they ever came to light.

General Grimshaw had been privy to some of the most sensitive information revealed by Shaw during his interrogation. One such revelation was so serious that he had to pull President Kelly out of a meeting to address it.

"This better be important, General. I'm in the middle of babysitting a conflict between Russia, China, India, and Pakistan," said President Kelly impatiently upon stepping out of a meeting room.

"You know I wouldn't interrupt the next diplomatic crisis unless it was something serious," he said under his breath, "It's about Sebastian Shaw."

"What now? Did he admit to bribing the entire Supreme Court?" groaned the President.

"No, but it has the potential to be just as bad," said the General, "It involves one of Uncle Sam's long-time business partners. And if Shaw isn't leading us on, it could reverberate severely for both this government and countless others."

General Grimshaw proceeded to hand the President a folder with an ominous seal on top. The seal was recognized by many within the government that only a select few were allowed to see. President Kelly was one of them. When he opened the file, the first page alone revealed enough to make him grimace.

"White Cell? They were doing business with Shaw as well?" said President Kelly, trying to contain his outrage.

"I'm afraid it runs much deeper than that."

"How deep?" he questioned.

"My people and I are still working on that. But if we can corroborate Shaw's testimony, then we're all in a tight spot with no room to breathe."

"How soon before you can verify it?" asked the President.

"Sooner rather than later," said General Grimshaw strongly, "I'll have a full report by the end of the week, along with some options."

"Don't bother with options," said President Kelly as she shoved the file back into General Grimshaw's hands, "As far as I'm concerned, there's only one viable recourse. And that's no action. Is that clear?"

General Grimshaw dreaded that recourse, but he could hardly blame the President in this instance. They risked setting off a domino effect that would undermine so many levels of government. There was also a significant risk that by doing nothing, some very well-connected people could do a lot of damage. It left General Grimshaw in a difficult position that he was obligated to uphold.

"I understand, Mr. President," said General Grimshaw, hiding his reservations.

"Good, then take care of it," said President Kelly as he prepared to return to the meeting, "And while you're at it, make sure that Charles Xavier and the X-men don't find out about this. I don't care if you have to lobotomize Shaw and cut out his vocal chords. This is one conflict best left unresolved."

* * *

 **Northern California – Purity Church**

Emotions ran high as the X-men neared Reverend Stryker's location. Father Hansen's condition weighed heavily on them. There was a sentiment that this would be an endgame for William Stryker. He had been discredited and no longer wielded major power. He was still prepared to commit atrocities in the name of his twisted theology. If he wanted to make a final stand, then the X-men would be there to meet him.

"Watch over us, God. But more importantly, watch other Father Hansen," said Rogue with a solemn prayer.

"I think the preacher be getting enough prayers, cherè," said Gambit, who comforted her for much of the trip.

"Ah know. One more couldn't hurt," she said distantly.

"Well save some of them prayers for this here mission," said the Cajun, "Remy don't mean to make light of it, but I still ain't used to you praying."

"That makes two of us," she sighed, "Ah was never the prayin' type until Isaac showed meh what Ah was doing wrong. Ah've had a wounded spirit for most of mah life. Ah don't need fellas like Stryker wounding it again."

Her spirit was shared by the rest of the team, who carried with them a heavy personal burden as the X-jet landed in a clearing. Professor Xavier and Storm were in the cockpit. Phoenix, Rogue, Gambit, Colossus, and Psylocke were in the passenger area. Teon sat next to Phoenix, who looked like a hungry wolf ready to hunt its prayHe had no training and a personality that was as unorthodox as it was basic.

"Fight close! Fight close!" he snarled as the X-jet landed.

"Easy there, Teon. Don't get ahead of us," said Phoenix, who kept coaxing him to stay in his seat, "You'll get your chance like the rest of us."

"At least he's not chewing on his seatbelt anymore," commented Colossus, "Idie was right about his mind being very basic."

"You know the more I think about it, the more I wonder if this is a good idea," questioned Psylocke, "This kid may have instinct, but the lack of a working frontal lobe concerns me. That says nothing about the rest of his personality quirks."

"I think he deserves a chance," said Phoenix, "Sometimes you need a guy on the team who won't overthink. Wolverine is proof of that."

"Well he's a long way from having Wolverine's grit," said Betsy as she looked over towards Teon, watching his expression shift as he took in the situation, "At least he may have better manners than Wolverine in the long run."

"Mate?" said Teon as he looked over at Psylocke.

"Okay, I take back what I just said," she said, rolling her eyes.

It was a humorous exchange, but Psylocke raised some legitimate concerns. Some of them were shared by Captain Jack Freeman, who sat at the front of the passenger area going over the mission.

His involvement with this affair was different compared to the rest of the X-men. They picked him up in Washington DC before heading towards Stryker's location. As field leader of the team, he was obligated to be part of this operation. However, he didn't have the same personal stake. That might not have been a bad thing. As he led them out of the X-jet, he expressed some serious doubts about this mission.

"Manners aside, let's clear the air before we do this," said Captain Freeman as he walked out ahead of the team, "Reverend William Stryker is an unstable man. General Grimshaw told me all about him when he first started working with President Kelly. As the Mutant Monitoring Initiative has grown, we've been pouring gasoline on that fire of insanity that he calls religion."

"That's still no excuse to shoot Father Hansen," said Rogue bitterly.

"I don't think he cares for excuses. That attack was a means to an end…a way of making us come to him," said the Green Beret, "I'm more than willing to confront insane religious zealots, but what bothers me is the method. Zealous or not, does he really think pissing off is enemies is going to gain him anything? I thought this guy was supposed to be careful with his madness."

"I've been wondering that myself, Captain," said Storm, "Hank and Tessa worked with the NSA to track this man. He's always been resourceful with his so-called Purifiers."

"After what happened with the CIA, I figured his resources had been cut off," said Phoenix.

"They were," said Professor Xavier, "We made sure of it as soon as the Mutant Monitoring Initiative was implemented."

"I don't see why that would stop him," said Colossus, "He's had all this time to gather himself. Perhaps he is desperate to strike?"

"Even if that was the case, I can't help but think there's something else at work," said Captain Freeman, "Coming on the heels of the Shaw affair, it just seems too convenient."

"Well why would it? I don't see Sebastian Shaw as being a man that Stryker would get along with," said Psylocke.

"I don't think this is a simple case of affiliation. It strikes me more as an unintended consequence," said Professor Xavier, who picked up on similar vibes as they neared the church, "Stryker saw fit to attack us know while the dust is still settling from the Shaw case. We need to be prepared for a few surprises that my complicate our mission."

Storm, Phoenix, Rogue, Gambit, Colossus, and Psylocke took that advice to heart as they mentally prepared themselves for this clash. Captain Freeman and Professor Xavier led the way with Teon by their side. The primal mutant was already following his instincts, sniffing around the ground and looking for signs of disturbances. In an area like this, there were many opportunities for Stryker to surprise them.

Purity Church was once a normal church, but Stryker had done many renovations in recent times. He fenced off much of the land, creating a rectangular barrier around the property. The building itself looked like a classic mega-church, one that stood much larger than a typical chapel. It spoke volumes to the kind of power and money that Stryker once had.

The building looked like the size of a high school football stadium. It had two levels and a dome-shaped roof. The sides and windows looked somewhat dilapidated. There was little sign of activity and there was no evidence that any sermon had taken place in months.

"Looks like Stryker has been gettin' cheap," commented Gambit, "It don't look like there be much preaching here lately."

"I wouldn't jump to conclusions just yet," said Xavier as he used his telepathy to scan the area, "Near as I can tell, the building has a healthy bit of psionic shielding. I can't sense anything inside."

"Me neither," said Phoenix, who was doing the same, "It's not the most elaborate shielding by a long shot. Give me about fifteen minutes and I'll break it."

"Don't bother, Phoenix," said Rogue, "After shootin' Father Hansen, Ah doubt he has much to hide."

"You don't think I can do it?" questioned Phoenix defensively.

"Knock it off, Jean. You don't have to keep trying to prove yourself without the Phoenix Force," said Psylocke, rolling her eyes, "It's childish."

Phoenix scolded her friend for such a remark. The situation with her powers was still a touchy subject. After her weak showing against Shaw, she was intent on proving herself again on another mission. It didn't look like she would get her chance here.

As they reached the front of the gate, Teon stopped them. He started growling as he looked around. He definitely sensed something and it wasn't psychic in nature.

"No fight! No fight!" he said frantically.

"What is it, Teon? What do you sense?" asked Professor Xavier.

"Do we need to give him a doggy treat or something?" commented Captain Freeman.

"Foot! Step! Men! Fight!" Teon growled.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" wondered Gambit.

From beyond the gate, the doors to the mega-church burst open. They revealed eight men in tatted Purifier uniforms. They weren't armed. They looked like they had just returned from a war zone. When they saw the X-men, they let out a mad if not desperate cry.

"They're here! They've returned to finish us off!" exclaimed one of the Purifiers.

"Their cruelty is matched only by their sin!" said another.

"We will not succumb to the damned!" said another, "For God and humanity, let us send them back to their dark master!"

With determination fueled by religious fervor, the eight man charged towards the X-men in a rage. With no weapons, they wielded baseball bats and heavy planks of wood. It was a far cry from what the Purifiers usually utilized, but the X-men still took the threat seriously.

"Why are they saying that we've returned?" wondered Storm.

"Did we kick their ass before and completely forget about it?" asked Rogue.

"No, there's something else going on here," said Professor Xavier, "Their minds are traumatized. I can't…"

"We'll figure that out later…after we've brought them in for questioning," said Captain Freeman as he cracked his knuckles, "X-men, take them down before…"

But before the Green Beret could finish, Teon launched his own attack Purifiers.

"FIGHT!" he roared.

"No Teon! Down boy!" said Psylocke.

It was no use. Teon followed his powerful instincts and attacked the charging men head on. He grabbed baseball bats from two of them and bent them with his strength. Undaunted, the two Purifiers tried to attack him with their bare hands. Teon skillfully leapt over them and crashed their heads together in a way that knocked them out. The Purifiers never stood a chance.

Despite Teon's show of strength, the six other Purifiers charged the X-men with reckless abandon. Captain Freeman and Professor Xavier saw a very different kind of fight before them. This wasn't an overwhelmingly powerful enemy. This was an enemy determined to make a last stand.

"Ah gotta say, Ah like Teon's style," grinned Rogue.

"Are you going to tell us to be gentle, Captain?" asked Psylocke.

Before Captain Freeman answered, two of the Purifiers armed with metal plumbing pipes aimlessly attacked. With little strategy or coordination, they struck both Rogue and Colossus. The two durable mutants barely flinched. The metal pipes severely warped around their hardened bodies. It was such an inane attack they were almost reluctant to counter.

"Does that answer your question?" said Colossus.

"Ah would say so," said Rogue rolling her eyes.

"YOU WILL NOT BREAK OUR SPIRITS!" yelled one of the Purifiers as he prepared to swing with is warped weapon once more.

"Spare meh the Braveheart speech, sugah," she said coyly.

While Colossus casually swatted away the man that attacked him, Rogue was a bit more playful. Showing off her strength, she casually flicked the man that attacked her with her index finger. That delivered enough force to cause a mild concussion, which sent the man falling flat on his back.

"Should we be encouraged or curious, Professor?" asked Storm, who was reluctant to attack the remaining men.

"I'm not sure, but I suspect we'll find our answers inside the church," said Professor Xavier.

"Then that's where we'll go," said Captain Freeman as he set his sights on the church, "Gambit, why don't you, Rogue, Colossus, and Psylocke clean up out here? Call the local police and get an ambulance here if they don't play nice."

"That mean you gonna hog all the fun with Stryker?" said Gambit as he took out his bow staff.

"If it makes you feel any better, we'll only rough him up a little!" said Phoenix.

With four Purifiers remaining, the team split up. Phoenix, Storm, and Professor Xavier followed Captain Freeman towards the main church entrance. Rogue, Colossus, and Psylocke maneuvered around so that the Purifiers would have to go through them to get to the others.

They rest of the zealous attackers had little with which to attack. Two of them had what looked like kitchen knives, one had a mid-sized hammer, and the other had what looked like the leg of a piano. Despite seeing two of their comrades fall, they never hesitated to strike their enemies.

"FOR THE PURITY OF HUMANITY!" yelled one of the attackers.

"Give it a rest already, luv," said Psylocke dryly.

One of the men Purifiers with a knife tried to stab the young psychic. She easily avoided the attack with her ninja agility. She formed a psionic blade to disarm the man, breaking his hand in the process. Then she delivered a punishing kick to the head that broke his nose and put him on the ground.

"These blokes look more _disturbed_ than usual," commented Psylocke, "Don't know if I should call the police or a therapist."

"Usually, we're the ones acting on desperation. This feels awkward," said Rogue.

"Well Remy could get used to it," grinned Gambit.

The Purifier with the piano leg tried to take a swing at Gambit. The Cajun mutant barely broke a sweat as he ducked to the side and used his bow staff to trip him up. As he stumbled forward, Rogue clotheslined him. That made two Purifiers with broken facial bones. Hopefully, that would keep them docile for the rest of this conflict.

The two remaining Purifiers didn't let up. The man with the piano leg took a swipe at Colossus, despite seeing what happened with the metal pipe earlier. Colossus didn't even move, letting the piano leg shatter across his metal skin. When the Purifier saw this, he only grew more enraged.

"The devil won't protect you from our wrath!" he seethed.

"And your madness won't protect you from _this_ ," said Colossus flatly.

The Russian mutant grabbed the man by the neck and performed a special choke-hold to render him unconscious. It wasn't as rough as his previous attack, but these men didn't seem deserving of a full-blown counterstrike. Something else had already traumatized them. Even the last Purifier was determined to fight to the bitter end.

"FOR OUR FALLEN BROTHERS AND SISTERS!" he exclaimed as he came running at Colossus with his hammer.

"Don't bother lookin' up, Pete. Remy's got this," said Gambit.

While the man was preparing to take another swing at Colossus, the Cajun threw his bow staff like a javelin. It struck right around the man's legs, causing him to fall and lose his grip on the hammer. He fell flat on his face, but was still determined attack.

Looking up at Colossus, he was prepared to stumble to his feet and fight with his bare hands. He never got the chance though. Teon caught up with him, landing right on his back and pinning him to the ground.

"FIGHT! FIGHT!" roared Teon as he slammed the man's head into the ground.

"Whoa there, take it easy, Teon!" said Psylocke as she caught up with him, "We need to keep these blokes in one piece, remember?"

"Do we have to? These fellas have caused a hell of a lot of problems for us," groaned Rogue as she and Colossus coaxed Teon off the man.

"I've already called a local hospital. They've got EMTs on their way," said Psylocke as she made sure the man stayed unconscious, "If Professor Xavier doesn't find anything in the church, we need someone with an undamaged brain to question."

"What could be they possibly find?" wondered Colossus, "These men already seem defeated."

"Ah don't know, but Teon sure seems to sense something," said Rogue, noticing the young mutant's demeanor.

The primal mutant was still looking around the church, as if he was seeing something that the others couldn't detect. Before the others could probe deeper, Teon was already on the move again.

"More fight!" he said as he ran off.

"Bloody Hell, not again!" groaned Psylocke.

"Ah think we just found Wolverine's replacement," joked Gambit.

While Teon followed his instincts, the rest of the X-men had reached the front entrance to Purity Church. Professor Xavier, Captain Freeman, Phoenix, and Storm remained vigilant for traps or security measures. So far, they had seen none.

They noticed that there were surveillance cameras, but they weren't active or were ripped out. As they approached the door, they noticed it wasn't even locked. It looked as though the seals had been sliced off. It was as if someone had already attacked this place. As their suspicion grew, so too did the ominous signs.

"This is getting creepy," said Phoenix as she looked around, "It's like they threw a college frat party that went horribly wrong."

"And it looks like it got ugly as well," said Captain Freeman as he looked at the door, "There was definitely a battle here. The electricity has been cut. The entrances are damaged. Someone hit this place hard. Most likely a surprise attack that Stryker tried to counter. I can still smell the cordite from the gunfire."

"Is that what that smell is?" said Storm as she sniffed the air, "It smells more like rotting meat to me."

"I've smelled worse," said Captain Freeman as he ran his hands over what looked like bullet-holes in the walls.

"I recognize that smell," said Professor Xavier grimly as he looked up at the structure, "I think I know why those men were so traumatized."

"How bad is it, Professor?" asked Storm warily.

"There's only one way to know for sure," said Xavier as he prepared himself for what he was about to see.

Turning towards Captain Freeman, he nodded understandingly. The Green Beret stopped forth, carefully opening the door and using his adaptive form to stay durable in case there was a trap.

Nothing happened at first. Professor Xavier then led the way, guiding his X-men into the ominous building. As soon as they entered they were greeted with a ghastly sight. It was a sight that confirmed Professor Xavier's fears. Storm, Phoenix, and Captain Freeman shuttered as they saw it as well. It was truly horrifying.

"My heavens…" gasped Storm.

"I don't think I'll be eating for the next two weeks," groaned Phoenix as she covered her mouth.

"Looks like I was right about there being a battle here," said Captain Freeman, who had to restrain himself despite his battle-hardened psyche, "I think we now know who won."

It was a scene ripped out of the most horrific of war zones. Strewn out along the floor were long rows of mangled bodies. The X-men recognized them as the bodies of Reverend Stryker's Purifiers. They weren't covered or very clean for that mattered.

Some were so mutilated that it was hard to believe that it had ever been a person. Some were still intact, bearing wounds that ensured they never stood a chance. What stood out most wasn't just that they were gruesome. The nature of these wounds was all too familiar.

"These wounds," mused Professor Xavier, trying to hold back his disgust, "They look like…"

"Claw marks," said Captain Freeman as he knelt down to examine one, "Sharp, quick, and in clusters of three. Am I the only one with déjà vu here?"

"No way! Wolverine did _not_ do this," said Phoenix strongly.

"He couldn't have," said Storm.

"He didn't. I'm sure of it," affirmed Professor Xavier as he looked closer.

"How can you be so sure?" asked Captain Freeman.

"Because I'm starting to sense what took place here," said Professor Xavier as he gazed deeper into the church, "It's not Wolverine. It's something far worse!"

Storm, Phoenix, and Captain Freeman followed the Professor's gaze. They took in the sheer scale of this carnage. Rows upon rows of bodies lined the floors. They all lead up to the central area of the church. Towards the man pews, there stood a sizable stack of bodies that reeked of a stench that words could not describe. Standing in front of this ghastly pile of flesh was Reverend William Stryker.

It looked like the Reverend had been tending to the bodies for quite some time. He was a far cry from the stern, pious demeanor that so defined him. He looked like a man traumatized by the fires of Hell itself. With a heavy heart, he piled up more bodies using a blood-soaked shovel. Along with their rotting flesh, he threw on his crucifix necklace and reverend collar. As far as he was concerned, his flock was no more.

"Rest in peace, my brothers. Go unto the Lord. Cherish a Heaven free of corruption," he said flatly.

"Stryker!" shouted Captain Freeman as he walked out ahead of Professor Xavier, "Is _this_ why you shot Father Hansen?"

Reverend Stryker looked up stoically and saw the X-men approaching. With a blood-soak face, his gaze narrowed on the creatures that had brought so much sin upon him.

"I see you got my message, X-men," he told them, "Are you here to complete your sin against God? If so, make it quick. I fear the Hell your kind is about to bring is _nothing_ compared to the Hell you're going to."

* * *

 **Up next: Unholy Man Part 2**


	12. Issue 160: Unholy Man Part 2

**Issue #160**

 **Unholy Man Part 2**

 _Professor Charles Xavier sees conflict brewing between humans and mutants. In an effort to further peace and understanding, he formed the X-men to aid in this struggle. When that was no longer enough, he struck a deal with the governments of the world to create the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. This arrangement ensures that the X-men work with the authorities and not against them. For some conflicts, such resources are necessary._

 _Before the initiative, Reverend William Stryker wielded great influence. In wake of numerous failed endeavors, he left President Kelly's inner circle to expand his band of anti-mutant crusaders, the Purifiers. He and his loyal followers had been laying low since the Mutant Monitoring Initiative was implemented._

 _Then, in a brazen act, Reverend Stryker shot and severely wounded Father Hansen of the Church of Humanity. Along with this shot came a message to the X-men. He seeks a direct confrontation at his church. However, when the X-men arrive they are greeted with a ghastly sight._

 _Reverend Stryker's Purifiers have been slaughtered. Nearly all his followers and his vast resources have been destroyed. Reverend Stryker believes that it was the X-men who were behind this attack. Now, with Father Hansen's life hanging in the balance, Stryker seeks an endgame to his holy crusade. What neither he nor the X-men know is that the circumstances of this attack are more mysterious than they can imagine._

 **Purity Church – Three Days Ago**

"In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit," said Reverend William Stryker in a prayer, "Bless upon us the purity of God's children and save us from the evil that taints it."

"Amen!" proclaimed his loyal followers.

It was the end to another stirring sermon. These were trying times for Reverend Stryker and his flock, but their faith had never been stronger. The Purifiers had gone underground. Their efforts had been undermined by the likes of Charles Xavier, General Grimshaw, and the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. The leaders of the world had grown cowardly, believing they could negotiate with evil. They were wrong and the Purifiers were going to prove it.

With no government support, Reverend Stryker went back to the basics. He consolidated his resources around the mega-church where he began his movement. His loyal Purifiers contributed what they could, turning the church into a base of sorts. Within their sanctuary, they hoarded weapons and supplies. They also made sure that psychics like Charles Xavier could not peer into their minds by implementing psionic shielding. Now, they could plan their next crusade against a world that was quickly devolving into sin.

"We're with you, Reverend Stryker! We'll send those mutant devils to the gates of Hell!" yelled one of his more enthusiastic followers.

Reverend Stryker smiled at such religious fervor. With the sermon over, his Purifiers conversed amongst themselves. Some had brought their families and children to hear him preach. His mega-church wasn't nearly as packed as it had been in the past, but it still had a sizable contingent of followers. Unfortunately, it was nowhere near the number he needed to make a difference in this ongoing holy war.

' _If only the faith of this country were that strong. When did it become permissible for fallible men to cooperate with sin? It can only end in Armageddon. President Kelly has fallen off the holy path. If God is testing our faith, then his children are failing miserably. I came close to failing as well. I refuse to let that happen to the rest of this world. My Purifiers will set humanity back on a holy path!'_

The Reverend bowed his head and prayed before the large crucifix behind his podium. There was much work to do. Connections had to be made. Plans needed to be formulated. It all came back to faith. So long as Stryker and his followers maintained their unbreakable spirits, nothing would thwart them.

While Reverend Stryker prayed, something strange happened in the area between him and the cross. In a brief flash, an imposing figure appeared out of thin air. The figure was dressed in a black body suit. He stood a little over six-feet tall and his face was completely covered by a special mask with reddish slits for eyes. Startled, Reverend Stryker fell back and recognized that this was no holy apparition.

"What in god's name?" exclaimed the Reverend.

"Commence test run," said the figure in flat one.

In a gesture that caught the attention of the Purifiers still lingering in the pews, the dark figure struck Reverend Stryker across the face with a devastating right cross. It struck so hard that it sent the reverend flying back against the wall. Then with his Purifiers looking on in confusion, the figure approached the podium and made an announcement.

"Attention Purifiers," he said stoically, "You have been deemed a threat. If you cease this threat, your lives will be spared. If you do not, then you will be contained. War or peace. Decide now."

The baffled Purifiers looked at this figure as if he were an agent of Satan himself. Some of the Purifiers decided to guard the families that were still within the church. Most of the zealous men stormed towards the central podium, outraged that anyone would ask them to cease their crusade. Along the way they picked up their weapons, prepared to oppose any evil that threatened their sanctuary.

"The devil has sent a minion to challenge us!" yelled one of the Purifiers.

"Do you take us for reprobate fools? You shall _never_ contain our spirits!" yelled another.

"Tell your dark master that our faith will not be compromised! We will fight all those that champion the unpure!" said a Purifier that had just retrieved his gun.

Before anyone could even reach the dark figure, a few Purifiers started shooting with their specially made machine guns. The figure standing at the podium didn't flinch in the slightest. The first few bullets passed right by him. A few struck him right in the chest and lower neck. It left a bloody wound, but the figure didn't seem to feel it. He just kept staring out at the now outraged crowd, ambivalent to the choices of these men.

"The decision is made," said the man, "Beginning containment."

As the first Purifier reached the stage, the dark figure stepped out to confront them. The Purifier was armed with a 45-caliber pistol. He aimed it right at the figure's head. Just as he was about to pull the trigger, the figure clenched his fists. As he did this, a set of metal claws popped out from his knuckles. With these claws, he skillfully slashed at the approaching man. Both the gun and a good chunk of the Purifier's hand were shredded.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" the Purifier cried out as he clutched his bloodied arm.

"Test units, begin the procedure," the dark figure announced.

While many Purifiers were still focused on the central area, more dark figures appeared in similar flashes all along the perimeter of the church. They all looked identical to the one at the podium. As soon as they appeared, they blocked off all the exits and drew their own set of claws. Without saying another word, they began a bloody attack that quickly consumed the church.

"Oh Lord! Please get us out of here!" cried one of the mothers who was trying to protect her three children.

"Stay close to us," urged one of the Purifiers as he and a few others prepared to defend the families, "We will protect you while our brothers-AHHHHHHHHH!"

Their protection was short lived. Every Purifier that surrounded the families was slaughtered. They were ruthless, efficient, and terrifying. Their limbs were severed, their throats were slit, and their insides were ripped out. Their pained cries mixed with the terrified screams of the woman and children. Yet for some reason, these unarmed families were spared. Even after all the Purifiers were slain, the dark figures just looked over them briefly and moved on.

Purity Church quickly became a slaughterhouse. Every Purifier on hand worked frantically to retrieve a weapon and fight back. However, their bullets were ineffective. Every shot wounded the figures for a moment, but those wounds healed. Some didn't even slow down. They remained coordinated, efficient, and lethal.

The Purifiers didn't stand a chance. Reverend Stryker could only watch from his semi-conscious state as his loyal followers were slain in a scene that could have been its own circle of Hell.

"Oh heavenly father," said the reverend weakly, "Why have you forsaken me?"

 **Purity Church – Present Time**

"My god…" gasped Professor Charles Xavier as he pieced together the gruesome details from Reverend Stryker's thoughts.

"No, Charles Xavier…this wasn't _your_ god," said Stryker coldly, "Only evil could produce such carnage. Only evil tainted by your kind's cursed blood."

It had been a long time since Xavier had been in the middle of such a bloodied battlefield. During his travels as a young adult, he had seen many horrific scenes. Even those paled in comparison to what he saw before him. If Stryker's twisted thoughts were accurate, then the source of such carnage utilized some ominously familiar methods.

For Phoenix, Storm, and Captain Freeman it left them feeling sick. As they followed Professor Xavier to the central area, they passed by rows upon rows of bodies. On each body, they could make out the distinct claw marks that were so familiar to them. It raised many disturbing questions that were sure to have equally disturbing answers.

"There's no way Wolverine or X-Force did this. They couldn't!" said Storm as she looked over the bodies.

"Maybe they wouldn't, but I can see Weapon X doing this sort of thing every other week," said Phoenix angrily.

"I agree. This kind of brutality is practically their business card," said Captain Freeman as he investigated some of the bodies.

"But I thought Weapon X was finished after the death of John Wraith," said Storm.

"It wouldn't be the first time Weapon X defied its own demise," said Professor Xavier as he remained focus on Reverend Stryker, "This wasn't just a slaughter. It was a statement. Someone wanted to demonstrate their lethal capabilities."

"And they did," said Reverend Stryker, now standing shirtless before a pile of dead bodies, "They slaughtered my flock. To ensure their evil spreads, they spared the women and children. Their traumatized stories will fill all those who receive God's truth with terror. It is a direct affront to God. As such, I cannot allow it to stand!"

"If you think that's an excuse for shooting Father Hansen, then you're worshipping the wrong God, reverend," said Captain Freeman as he caught up with Professor Xavier.

"Don't you dare claim to know God better than I do! I've endured the scars of sin. I've dedicated my life to repenting…not just for myself, but for all humanity. Father Hansen was just one of many false prophets that you X-men have allowed to propagate. He will burn, as well the rest of your corrupt brethren."

"Enough with the preaching. We get it. You hate mutants," said Phoenix, "What is shooting an innocent man and luring us here supposed to accomplish anyways?"

"I don't think you understand what took place here," said Storm, "There's no need to make this tragedy any worse."

"Shut up! I understand perfectly," said Reverend Stryker sternly, "God tested Job with many hardships on his path to salvation. I'm nowhere near as holy as Job, but if God sees fit to test me then I shall pass with flying colors…even if it requires sacrifice!"

This man was both distraught and determined, almost to the point of madness. There was no making sense of what happened to his Purifiers. Reverend Stryker had drawn his own conclusion.

He wasn't going to accept any aid from the X-men. It didn't matter if attack was carried out by Weapon X or Satan himself. He was prepared to retaliate. As the emboldened holy man stood before the X-men, he took out a small device from his pocket and held it up.

"Ah hell, is that what I think it is?" groaned Phoenix.

"He's rigged this place to blow!" exclaimed Captain Freeman, "Hurry up and…"

"Too late, X-men," seethed Reverend Stryker, "May god have mercy on our souls!"

With this holy proclamation, Reverend Stryker pressed one of two large buttons on the device. A deafening explosion followed, shaking the mega church to its core. In an instant, chaos turned to darkness as the roof of the building came crashing down.

 **Wright Patterson Air Force Base – Holding Cell**

Emma Frost was used to Sebastian Shaw's devious lies. For years, she lived a life that embraced those lies. It got to the point where she expected his every word to be laced with deceit. On the rare occasions he told the truth, it was often more jarring than any lie.

The truth about Shaw's operations with MGH and the betrayal that landed him in a prison cell was too fantastic to be a lie. Emma found herself pacing restlessly, trying to process everything she had uncovered. Shaw, despite being at her mercy within this cell, maintained his arrogant smugness.

"What's the matter, my queen? Was everything I told you about my former business associate too _disturbing_?" he asked wryly.

"There's very little you can say that disturbs me at this point. Although this may be the exception proving the rule," said Emma, rubbing her temples in frustration, "So let me see if I understand this…some mysterious man pitched you the concept of MGH. Yet somehow, you don't know the name of the man or simply won't tell me. Is that correct so far?"

"More or less," said Shaw wryly.

"Well which is it?" asked Emma sternly, "So help me if you're keeping something from me…"

"Spare me the petty threats. The man's name isn't important. Those are his words, not mine," he told her.

"So you're not above a little plagiarism. Big deal," she scoffed, "But somehow this man was able to provide you with everything you needed to develop MGH. Did you ever ask why the damn fool wouldn't do it himself?"

"Because I had the kind of resources that would get the job done faster," Shaw replied, "I get the sense he wanted to develop it on his own, but for some reason he was in a hurry. I was more than happy to oblige. It was a perfect opportunity to re-establish my power base after my idiot son worked so hard to undermine it."

It sounded like a weak excuse, some shady business partner trusting Sebastian Shaw to help them. However, it made as much sense as everything else Shaw told her. That wasn't saying much so Emma tried to focus on the larger details. He explained to her without the threat of psychic probing that he worked with a mystery partner in the development of MGH. That partner might be the key to uncovering the truth.

"Yes, about that opportunity…you say it was all about money and control. That first wave of MGH that you sold to mutants like Beak was just the test phase. The version you _forcibly_ injected into Jubilee was the finished product."

"Every new drug has to go through a testing phase," shrugged Shaw, "I just didn't have the patience to work with the FDA."

"Very few do, but this isn't a new boner pill we're dealing with. How does feeding this drug to mutants give you the obscene power and wealth that you so hungrily crave?"

"You're a businesswoman, Emma. You should understand the finer process of marketing," he retorted, "Not _every_ venture needs to sell something tangible. Sometimes selling an idea or a concept can be just as lucrative. The way I saw it, the Mutant Monitoring Initiative was selling a sense of control to the masses. Meanwhile, mutants everywhere demanded an escape from that control. And economics dictate, whenever there is demand for something, there will be someone seeking to supply it."

"Except you weren't supplying what you promised," said Emma sternly, "You were using mutants just as you were using the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. If every mutant that used your drug was part of a collective that you controlled, then you would have the ultimate leverage over every government that feared mutants."

"I like to think of it as cornering the market," he said with a grin, "The humans of this world wanted peace of mind. I could do that with MGH. I could be in a position to sell them what they wanted."

"And what would your partner get out of it?" she asked.

"That's where even my recollection gets a little hazy. I was more interested in power. He was more interested in money. As the sole developer and distributer of MGH, he would have been in a position to make an _obscene_ amount of money."

"With mutants?" questioned Emma.

"They were a means to an end, nothing more. As you know, it's illegal for mutants to be part of any standing army. Yet certain private mercenary groups employ mutants for their tactical skills. It's a risky venture with thin margins because, in addition to being small in number, not all mutants are trained for combat. Even if they are, they're difficult to control."

"That hasn't stopped some from trying."

"Very true," affirmed Shaw, "For you see, one private mercenary group was brazen enough think big. He could have controlled any mutant and created a fighting force that would command the highest prices. I never thought he would be foolish enough to throw that opportunity away."

That was where they both seemed to hit a dead end. The premise itself was sound, even if it was deceitful in a Sebastian Shaw sort of way. If that mysterious partner ran a mercenary group that employed mutants, then they had a _lot_ to gain by developing MGH.

They could not only control their mutant soldiers, but they could use the power to expand their business. It would have been profitable on an astonishing level. The fact that Shaw's mystery partner threw it away only heightened the intrigue.

"I suppose this is one instance where greed wasn't enough," sighed Sebastian Shaw as he sat down on his bed, "You call me a madman, but at least my endeavors have a basis in sound business practice."

"You always wore your greed like a badge of honor, Sebastian," muttered Emma, "Which is why I'm convinced you won't give me a name."

"I couldn't if I wanted to. This is once instance where you'll have to fill in the blanks," he said, "It may not be as daunting as it sounds. After all, how many private mercenary groups that utilize mutants are there in this world?"

"The list is short. Although one in particular _does_ come to mind," she said distantly.

"Oh? Care to share?" asked Shaw coyly, "I'd like to know myself so I can deliver a cruel and effective punishment when I get out."

"That's assuming you will," quipped Emma.

"Oh come now, Emma. You know me better than that. It's only a matter of time before I wear the crown of the Black King once more. If you assume I won't find a way, then you're as dumb as those fake breasts I paid for."

Emma Frost scolded the arrogant man with every ounce of her hatred. His coarse personality was insufferable enough. What burned her even more was that he was probably right about being the Black King again. No prison could hold a man like Sebastian Shaw. It was only a matter of time before he found a way.

She would have loved nothing more than to stay and make Sebastian Shaw's stay here as unpleasant as possible. Unfortunately, a knock on the outside of the cell signaled that her time here was up.

"Times up, Miss. I think Mr. Shaw has had enough human interaction for one day," said the guard.

"I agree," said Emma, using her telepathy to shroud her appearance, "Thank you for your time. I have everything I need."

Still scolding Shaw every step of the way, Emma Frost turned around and left the cell. The guards escorted her out of the holding area, never once questioning if they had been infiltrated. Her psychic deception, as well as Cypher's creative hacking, had done wonders. With it, she obtained the information that X-Force needed. It seemed as though Shaw's plot was more complicated than they imagined.

As soon as Emma was clear of the secure areas, she took out a special blue-tooth headset and placed it in her ear. With it, she sent an encrypted signal back to X-Force. If they were to act on this information, they had to do it quickly.

"James, it's me. Tell Cypher to unhack the systems and cover his tracks. And while you're at it, reopen those old files on White Cell. I think your brother was onto more than we suspected."

 **Purity Church**

"GET DOWN, GUYS! I CAN HANDLE THIS!" exclaimed Phoenix.

"For our sakes, you damn well better," groaned Captain Freeman, whose ears were still ringing from the blast.

The X-men found themselves in the epicenter of a chaotic scene. Reverend William Stryker had crossed one too many lines. He was willing blow up his own church and himself in order to attack his enemies. As the walls and foundation of his church began to crumble, Phoenix instinctively put up a telekinetic bubble to protect them. Professor Xavier, Storm, and Captain Freeman took cover as they scrambled to collect themselves.

It all happened within a matter of seconds. The deafening sound of the blast and the flash of each burst left them momentarily stunned. That gave Reverend Stryker the window he needed.

With reckless disregard for his own well-being and that of his church, he jumpt down from the altar and lunged towards the X-men. In the process, he took out a combat knife that was shaped like a cross. With it, he set his sights on Charles Xavier. In that brief moment, with the world's most powerful psychic was stunned, he got close enough to drive the knife right into Xavier's side.

"Return to Hell, agent of the devil!" exclaimed the misguided holy man.

"ARGH!" exclaimed Xavier as he felt a stabbing pain.

"Charles!" exclaimed Storm.

Stryker pulled the knife out and prepared to stab Xavier again, this time aiming for his neck. Before he could carry out his attack, Captain Freeman grabbed his arm from behind and pulled him away. That allowed Storm to tend to the Professor's wound. It didn't seem serious, but it put him in a lot of pain.

"That's enough of that, reverend!" said the Green Beret, "God won't protect you from attempted murder charges. Let alone the whole thoust shalt not kill bit!"

"God is on my side! You and your false prophet will face His wrath!" seethed Stryker.

"Need I remind you that I could easily snap your arm off?" said the mutant soldier, "I doubt the authorities will mind."

Reverend Stryker continued struggling despite having little chance of breaking Captain Freeman's grip. With the worst of the blast behind him, he was content to subdue this man and arrest him. He had already adapted his body to absorb any knife attack. He could easily take this man down.

Just as the Green Beret was about to end the battle, a large chunk of the ceiling broke off that had been lingering after the blast. In a stroke of uncanny luck, it fell right on top of Captain Freeman. Phoenix's telekinetic bubble wasn't big enough to deflect it. So as soon as it struck the mutant soldier, he was buried under a pile of rubble while Reverend Stryker escaped the debris.

"UNGH!" grunted Captain Freeman.

"I believe God has made his point," said Reverend Stryker as he pulled away from Captain Freeman's grasp.

With the Green Beret stuck, the reverend turned his attention back towards Professor Xavier. He was still conscious and clutching his side. Blood gushed from the wound. It looked like Stryker had hit some organs. Storm was helping to apply pressure while sitting him down so the wound wouldn't tear further.

"Stay with me, Charles. Don't go into shock," Storm urged him.

"Feeling…lightheaded," said Xavier in a woozy tone.

"Keep your hand over the wound. Try and slow the bleeding," she told him, adding extra pressure.

With Stryker now approaching, Storm turned to Phoenix. There was still a large pile of debris on top of her telekinetic bubble. She tried to shove it off, but it proved to be a major strain on her mind.

"Phoenix, I could use your assistance!" Storm exclaimed.

"I'll be right there," grunted Phoenix as she struggled harder, "Just give me a minute to push the debris…"

"Charles doesn't have a minute!" she said.

"You have even less than that, I'm afraid," said Reverend Stryker, now covered in dust and light shrapnel wounds, "You think that was the only blast? That was just the roof. There's a sizable basement beneath our feet. That basement is full of incendiary explosives…the kind that will incinerate our flesh in a fraction of a second."

"You…you wouldn't," gasped Storm.

"Reverend please…you don't need to do this," said the wounded Xavier, "What kind of god would condone such madness?"

"The kind that won't tolerate his children being tainted! But if it makes you feel better, I'll ask him again on your behalf when I meet Him!"

Reverend Stryker proved he was serious as he took out the same remote device he had used earlier. From underneath he nearby pile of rubble, a conscious Captain Freeman tried to reach out and grab his foot. Stryker stepped out of the way, approaching Professor Xavier and Storm.

Phoenix still hadn't shoved off the debris from under her telekinetic bubble. With Xavier and Storm still inside, she couldn't risk letting her guard down. She could only watch helplessly as the approaching madman drew near.

"With this act, we walk the valley of the shadow of death on two different paths," said Reverend Stryker, "One path leads to Heaven. That's where I'll be going. The other leads to a fiery pit from where all the corruption of the world has spawned. That's where you and everyone like you are destined to end up."

"Don't do it, Stryker," said Storm, her eyes glowing white as she prepared to strike back.

"Go ahead," said the reverend, "Strike me down if you dare. You'll only make me a martyr with the rest of my brothers."

"Drop the device or face several bolts of lightning!" she threatened.

"If you haven't done it by now, then that means you're as cowardly as your dark master. Even if you could, no amount of lightning shall keep me from pressing this button!"

Storm's reluctance to strike this man down worked to his advantage. Holding up the device, he prepared to press the button that would end them all. Then seemingly out of nowhere, a feral roar echoed through the mangled structure.

"FIGHT!"

As soon as Stryker looked up, he saw an enraged Teon jump from atop a pile of debris. Running on pure instinct, the imposing young mutant tackled Reverend Stryker to the ground before he could push the button. As he fell flat on his back, he dropped the device.

"Hnnn…NOOOO!" exclaimed the Reverend.

"Fight! Fight!" roared Teon as he slammed Stryker's head into the ground, rendering him dazed.

"At a boy, Teon! When all this is over, you can have all the doggy treats you want!" grinned Captain Freeman from under the rubble.

With Stryker now neutralized, Captain Freeman re-adapted his body so that he had the strength to pull out from the rubble. As soon as he was free, he grabbed the device and crushed it in his hand. This ensured that Stryker wouldn't be meeting his god today.

"You…demonic…fools," groaned Stryker as he saw this.

"Quiet!" barked Teon as he struck the Reverend again to fully knock him out.

Once Stryker was silent, Phoenix finally managed to shove back the debris that was on top of her telekinetic bubble. Once she, Storm, and Professor Xavier were clear, she rested her mind. Letting out a tired groan, she fell to her knees. Once again, her limited power put her friends in jeopardy.

"It happened again," she mused, "I wasn't strong enough. I should've…"

"Save the apologies for later, Phoenix. Come over here and help me with our misguided holy man," ordered Captain Freeman.

Phoenix swallowed her self-loathing and caught up with the mutant soldier. Teon still had him pinned and was growling angrily at the unconscious reverend. Captain Freeman had to pull wave Teon down so that he didn't rough Stryker up more than they needed to.

"That's enough, Teon. No more fight," coaxed Captain Freeman.

"Safe?" said the primal mutant as the mutant soldier pulled him off.

"Yes Teon. We're safe now," said Phoenix as she hovered over Stryker, using her telepathy to keep him unconscious, "You did good. You saved us all. We owe you."

Phoenix smiled towards Teon, which helped him calm down. He stopped growling and smiled back. Even with his primal mind, he understood what he accomplished.

"Mate?" said Teon as he smiled back at Phoenix.

"Down boy," she said in a humored tone, "We don't owe you _that_ much."

"Can't blame the kid for trying," shrugged Captain Freeman.

With Stryker now secure and the danger behind them, Phoenix and Captain Freeman turned their attention towards the wounded Charles Xavier. Storm still had him sitting in an upright position. He was still clutching his side, but the bleeding had slowed.

He remained conscious, blocking out the pain and focusing on Reverend Stryker. It had been a new extreme even for him. In his desperation, he was willing to sacrifice his life and destroy his own church. It spoke volumes to the carnage that had transpired here.

"How are you doing over there, Xavier? Still with us?" asked Captain Freeman.

"I'll be fine. I've survived worse," said Professor Xavier.

"Well don't try to stand up just yet. Psylocke just informed me that the EMTs are on their way," said Phoenix, "They'll patch you up and ensure the good reverend is fit to share a cell with Sebastian Shaw."

"I don't think his punishment should be quite _that_ egregious, Phoenix," said Xavier.

"After he stabbed you and tried to blow up a building with us inside it? Sometimes you're too forgiving, Charles," said Storm, relieved to see him in good spirits.

"It's not his actions that concern me as much as what caused them. Look around at what he's lost," said Xavier, gesturing towards the bodies not covered by debris, "I can't say I blame him for going over the edge. He was a target. He only sought to retaliate, misguided he may have been."

His church now ruined. With plenty of bodies still rotting in the rubble, it was easy to feel pity for Reverend Stryker. He might have been an anti-mutant zealot, but he was still a victim here. Someone else had made a move against him that left his Purifiers and his church decimated. It posed some disturbing questions that the X-men would have to answer.

"Blame or not, we need to take this guy in. He'll tell us everything he knows about what happened here," said Captain Freeman as he and Phoenix restrained the reverend.

"He'll probably need a hell of a therapist as well and not just for his religiously-motivated bigotry," commented Phoenix.

"The President will probably want to keep this quiet," added the Green Beret, "With Stryker being a former advisor, it wouldn't look good if word got out that he snapped."

"It's probably for the best," said Storm, "I don't think the public needs to know about the attack that killed the Purifiers just yet. At least not until we know what we're dealing with."

"I already have a faint idea of what's involved," said Xavier, "We'll need to start investigating immediately. If we don't uncover who was behind this and why, then Reverend Stryker's Purifiers won't be the only victims."

 **New York Memorial Hospital – Later**

' _Oh yay as I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. I shall fear no evil. I shall embrace the moment in which I join the Lord. I need only know…is He ready for me? Is this my time? Have I done enough?'_

Father Ryan Hansen saw a blurred vision of light before him. He couldn't tell if it was the Lord guiding him through the gates of Heaven or if he was somewhere else. As he gazed up at the light, he heard some familiar voices.

"He's waking up!" said an exuberant Idie Okankwo.

"Praise the Lord! It's a miracle among miracles," said an equally enthused Isaac.

As Father Hansen's vision cleared, he realized where he was. He was lying in a hospital bed, covered in IVs and surrounded by life-support equipment. As he saw Isaac and Idie hovering over him, he recalled what happened. He had been shot by Reverend William Stryker. He had come close to dying. It seemed as though God had other plans.

"It would seem the Lord isn't ready for me, after all," he said with a weak smile.

"Is that what he told you or are you just happy to see us?" said Idie with tears in her eyes.

"I suppose both would apply," said the priest in a weak tone.

Father Hansen tried to sit up, but was kept on his back by the lingering pain of the gunshot wound. Isaac coaxed him into staying down. He had a long road to recovery ahead of him.

"Please Father, don't sit up," said Isaac, "That heretic, William Stryker, did quite a bit of damage. You had a collapse lung, a damaged kidney, and severe internal bleeding. You were in surgery for over two hours and you required several blood transfusions. You came dangerously close to leaving us."

"Close is more than enough when it comes to survival. The fact I can speak implies that it could have been a lot worse," said Father Hansen, still a bit woozy from the medications.

"Indeed, but not by much," said Idie as she clenched the wounded man's hand, "It was only by God's grace that the bullet missed your heart."

"It is also a testament to the depravity of corrupt souls like Stryker," said Isaac sternly, "That man is a false prophet of the worst kind. He would strike at God's messengers and corrupt the Word in his own name! A special place in Hell surely awaits him."

Isaac burned with anger. He took acts like this very personally. It showed the depths of his spiritual fervor. Father Hansen had to wave him down before he got too worked up.

"Easy, my friend. Stryker is more misguided than he is corrupt. It wouldn't be very Christian of us to harbor vengeful feelings. Christ taught us to forgive. Not to avenge," said Father Hansen, showing little disdain at the mention of Stryker.

"But father…" began Isaac.

"God will judge the man at the appropriate time," assured Father Hansen, "In the interim, allow the authorities to deal with him."

"That's already happening, Father," assured Idie, "About a half-hour ago, we received a call from Professor Xavier. He and the X-men apprehended Reverend Stryker. They say something happened to his Purifiers and that somehow drove him to shoot you."

"A pitiful excuse if ever there was one," scoffed Isaac, "There's no punishment the authorities can give that would be fitting enough."

"That's not for us to say. Nor is it appropriate for us to intervene," said Father Hansen, "As far as I'm concerned, William Stryker's fate is in his own hands. I expect you and the rest of my congregation to respect that, Isaac."

It was difficult request, even if it was the Christian thing to do. Isaac had a hard time holding back his anger. He had to get up and walk around a bit so everything could sink in.

They were in such dire times. False prophets were running around shooting God's messengers and blaming mutants for their own sin. For Isaac, it was a sign that something was coming. Something dark was preparing to consume this world. His every instinct urged him to confront it. Yet Father Hansen was telling him to hold back. Having been down that road before, he heeded Father Hansen's wisdom at least for the time being.

While Isaac continued fuming, Idie grasped Father Hansen's weak hand and smiled. Despite his wounded state, Father Hansen smiled back.

"The rest of District X will be happy to hear that you're okay, Father," said Idie, "Jubilee and Gabriel told me that tensions have been running high all day."

"I'll be there to preach to them as soon as I'm well enough to do so," said Father Hansen, smiling back at the young girl, "You and Isaac can spread the good word in the meantime."

"I wouldn't know what to say," she said distantly, "How are we supposed to react when men like William Stryker start shooting the people we care about?"

"In my experience, the best possible reaction is to not overreact," said the priest, "There will always be tribulations. God made having faith difficult for a reason. It's only when we feel weak, vulnerable, or outraged that we can truly appreciate faith. That is why our message always needs to be one of comfort. Not vengeance."

"Comfort…I think I can sell that," said Idie.

"You'll be fine. As will you, Isaac," assured Father Hansen, "No souls need be lost during times like this. Now more than ever, we must do our part by reaching out to others before they're led astray."

Idie marveled at how someone could be so hopeful after going through so much pain. Father Hansen had always inspired her, even after her faith was shaken. It was only fitting that she drew from the same inspiration as she, Jubilee, and the rest of the Lights tried to make a difference in District X.

It looked as though the crisis was over. Father Hansen was okay. Reverend Stryker had been apprehended. Their collective souls could begin recovery. Isaac and Idie were ready to let Father Hansen rest.

Then, the door burst open and a man in a trench coat stumbled in. He entered with such urgency that he knocked the door right off the hinges. Idie and Isaac instinctively prepared to defend Father Hansen.

"By the devil, have you come to finish what Reverend Stryker began?" exclaimed Isaac.

"If so, you'll have to go through us!" said Idie as she activated her powers, forming a halo of ice and fire around her body.

"Please…I don't wish to fight. Not anymore," said the man desperately.

"Then explain yourself! Include how you made it past security while you're at it," said Isaac angrily.

"Isaac please…" said Father Hansen, waving him down once more, "Let him speak."

Despite Father Hansen's pleas, Isaac and Idie remained vigilant. They watched the man fall to his knees and pull back the hood that was covering his head. It revealed a man that many had seen before. The X-men had clashed with him. He made his presence felt back when Magneto was being tried for war crimes. He was an imposing presence, but as he gazed towards Father Hansen he appeared desperate and humble.

"You…I know you!" said Isaac, "You call yourself Exodus. A most ominous and somewhat blasphemous title."

"I'm not sure how much meaning there is behind that name," he said sadly, "I don't blame you for being upset with me either. I injured several people on my way to this room. Please forgive my impatience, but I _needed_ to see Father Hansen. I'm so lost. I need answers and you're the only one who can help me find them."

 **SWORD – Main Labs**

It was an exciting time for Hank McCoy. Working with SWORD and having access to their vast resources was promising enough. The ordeal with Sebastian Shaw yielded even more potential. Beyond the Shaw's nefarious plots, there was much to learn from Mutant Growth Hormone. Now that the authorities controlled all known supply, they could research its true potential.

Hank was so focused on uncovering the secrets within MGH that he rarely left the lab. He only left once to visit Sage, who was helping him with some of his research. She conducted regular analysis on Jubilee and the Lights. With that data, he worked with Dr. Rao's team to conduct a series of experiments.

The lab was working at full capacity, using technology confiscated from Shaw's villa to synthesize new variations of MGH. At such a critical stage, Hank would not leave the lab even after he found out about Father Hansen. It grew even more critical when he found out what happened with Reverend Stryker and his Purifiers.

"Is Charles certain of what he sensed, Psylocke?" asked Hank as he spoke over a secure line, "Were these shadowy figures that Stryker recalled utilizing Weapon X tactics?"

" _Jean and I did our own scan. We know what we sensed. It had all the signs of Weapon X, complete with the blood-bath to top it all off. We're all prepared to dig up Wraith's body just to make sure he's still dead."_

"That may not be necessary. For all we know, this may not be Weapon X. This may be someone who simply picked up where they left off," reasoned Hank as he multi-tasked, using his hands and feet to work a nearby control panel.

" _Given the history of Weapon X, who in their right mind would want to emulate them?"_

"That's difficult to surmise, but I find it more than coincidental that this so-called 'test attack' transpired shortly after Sebastian Shaw was betrayed."

" _Yeah, you're not the only one to point that out. I don't know if this qualifies as a coincidence, but it sure stinks of one."_

"It also may confirm what my latest round of experiments have indicated. It is completely feasible to take the genetic information from X-gene manifestations and copy it into other individuals. Our friend, Wolverine, may have been the pre-cursor. We know for certain that Weapon X enhanced his healing abilities. A catalyst like MGH takes it a step further, synthesizing certain mutations and transposing them into other genomes."

" _I hope you're not implying that there's another Weapon X out there with access to MGH. I almost prefer another clash with Shaw."_

"We cannot make any definitive conclusions just yet. For once, we may have an edge. With SWORD's resources, we can refine MGH ourselves. Perhaps there's a way to counter it. That says nothing of the other benefits it could incur."

" _I'm sure you and Sage are just giddy with excitement. I hope Professor Xavier shares your enthusiasm. After his stab wounds heal, of course."_

"Indeed," said Hank, solemn over his friend's condition, "Please give him my regards. Assure him that we are on the cusp of so many breakthroughs. If this mysterious attacker sees fit to conduct another test, take comfort in the certainty that we'll have the knowledge and the resources to confront it."

Hank ended the call and set aside his earpiece. He started working with more urgency. In the past, the X-men had no choice but to react as these powerful new advances were used for sinister purposes. Under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, they could turn the tables and make advances of their own.

He had been hanging upside-down for the last twenty minutes or so, using his hands and occasionally his feet to operate the main controls of SWORD's mainframe. At the moment, the primary cables fed into a reconstructed synthesizer that had been confiscated from Sebastian Shaw.

The synthesizer was about the size of a trailer home and had various pipes feeding exotic chemicals into it. Dr. Rao worked with the engineers, carefully observing the equipment to ensure it did what they hoped it would do. The mood was tense, but their excitement was palpable. There was a general sense that they were onto something big.

"I couldn't help but overhear your conversation, Hank. I hope you weren't being overly optimistic," said Dr. Rao as she stepped away from the engineers for a moment.

"After bringing Reverend Stryker into custody and learning that Father Hansen will make a full recovery, I think some optimism is warranted," said Hank as he leapt down from his perch.

"I'm all for apprehending militant religious zealots, but I doubt Stryker's capture will affect the outcome of this experiment," she said.

"I'm not expecting it to. I'm simply expecting the math to add up, just as Tessa and I calculated," said Hank as he rushed over to the synthesizer.

"Don't you mean Sage?" said Dr. Rao in a humored tone.

"Does it matter what her name is? Your people have cooperated our number crunching and now we can put it into practice. If I'm brimming with too much excitement, I apologize. I've just never had such an opportunity. Having SWORD's resources means we don't just uncover the mysteries of mutation. We put them to good use!"

Dr. Rao had never seen Hank McCoy so focused. He was like a kid in a candy store, waiting for fresh treat to come out of the oven. She tried to maintain a serious demeanor as led her fellow scientists through this experiment. However, she couldn't help but be excited herself. These experiments with MGH held so much promise.

Hank watched as the synthesizer pumped more chemicals through its elaborate systems. Only a select few understood what went on in the depths of his complex machine. The several dozen engineers, chemists, electricians, mathematicians, and lab assistants didn't need to understand. They all remained focused on their tasks as laid out by Dr. Rao.

At one end of the synthesizer, data was pouring in through SWORD's elaborate servers. At the other, special glass canisters were slowly filling with a new reddish substance. As they slowly filled, a series of laser scanners passed over the canisters to collect data.

"Molecular consistency is holding steady. So far, so good," said one of the top chemists who was monitoring the chemical intake.

"The numbers are coming in fast. They're a bit more erratic than we calculated, but they're still within the optimal range," said one of the analysts at a computer station.

"Slow down the extraction process. Give the compounds time to react," ordered Dr. Rao, "I'll gladly wait a little longer for stability."

"Speak for yourself," said one of the physics as he looked over a digital mock-up of the process, "I've sat in the control room at some of the largest particle accelerators on the planet and I've _never_ seen properties like this! I could write no fewer than fifteen papers on the quantum properties of this stuff alone."

"I bet I could write fifteen more on genetic anomalies I'm detecting," said a female biologist working with a DNA computer.

"That's assuming SWORD will allow us to make these results public," said one of the lab assistants.

"This experiment holds tremendous promise for humans and mutants like. It would be outrageous, if not impossible, for any government to keep such a breakthrough secret," said Hank.

The mood amongst the team of scientists remained intense as the canister slowly filled. Hank watched closely exotic red substance came together in a beautiful display of science and knowledge. It took nearly twenty minutes for the canister to completely fill up. Once it was ready, the synthesizer stopped and Dr. Rao signaled the lab assistants to turn off the pumps.

The experiment now complete, Hank McCoy did the honors and removed the canister from the machine. Every scientist in the room dropped what they were doing and gathered around him to take in what they just accomplished.

"Is that it? Is the experiment a success?" asked one of the biologists.

"Indeed it is. And for once, no critical failures need be contained," said Hank triumphantly.

"So what does this mean?" asked one of the physicists, "Where do we go from here?"

"The possibilities, my friends, are limited only by our imagination," said Hank, who couldn't stop grinning, "Mr. Shaw was motivated solely by profit. His version of MGH was not meant to make lasting, beneficial changes to the mutant genome. By using the products of his greed, we've created our own MGH prototype. One that will serve this world in so many wonderful ways."

"I'm sure President Kelly will be interested in the possibilities," said Dr. Rao, "However, he'll probably just focus on how this will help the Mutant Monitoring Initiative."

"Oh it'll help in many ways," assured Hank, "This new blend of MGH goes beyond merely enhancing mutant abilities. Using this prototype, we can tame the inherent chaos that often comes with the X-gene. We can give it to young mutants that struggle with control by enhancing other aspects of their X-gene. We can even impart other mutant abilities into a genome so that one power may compliment another. It can help mutants that were deformed by their powers change their appearance, if they so wish. It can even help mutants that wish to limit their powers if they so desire."

"I'm sure the MSA would love it," said one of the lab assistance, "They would jump at the chance to limit the powers of certain prisoners. You have to admit, some mutants are just too good at abusing their powers."

"I won't contest that. In this bold new world where new mutants are being born every day, we require the right tools to tame the inherent chaos of evolution. With the proper vision and protocols, mutants can maximize their potential while the Mutant Monitoring Initiative ensures it is done in a responsible manner."

"I hope the rest of the world shares your optimism, Mr. McCoy," said Dr. Rao.

"I suppose we'll find out soon enough," said Hank as he clutched the canister, "The next step is to share this breakthrough with the world. It is sure to be a historic day for science. A great many dreams can now be fully realized!"

"Then I'm afraid I'll have to wake you up, McCoy," came an unexpected voice, "Because those dreams will stay that way for the foreseeable future."

Hank McCoy and Dr. Rao's science team were quickly brought down from their triumphant high as they turned towards the main elevator to see Abigail Brand entering the lab. She had a number of high-level MSA operatives with her. She certainly didn't share their enthusiasm for scientific breakthroughs. She always brought with her the cold, hard reality that crushed every trace of idealism.

"Ms. Brand, this is an unexpected surprise," said Dr. Rao nervously.

"We'll have to skip the niceties this time," she said stoically.

"As if she's ever been good at those in the first place," muttered one of the physicists, which Brand chose to ignore.

"I'm afraid I've come here after a rather nasty discussion with General Grimshaw and President Kelly," said Brand, "For reasons I'm not at liberty to discuss, all experiments on MGH are to cease immediately and all files regarding these tests are to be sealed indefinitely."

"That…that's preposterous!" exclaimed Hank, "I just finished speaking with Psylocke. She says there may be others who have already done these experiments and utilized them in ways far worse than Shaw."

"I get the same reports you get and a few you don't. I know all about the logistics, but it isn't my job to give a damn about them," she said sternly, "This comes from the very top of the pecking order. All MGH research must stop _immediately_. You're all very smart people. I'm sure you'll find other way to change the world."

Hank McCoy stood aghast to what he was hearing. He and Dr. Rao were on the cusp of something remarkable. Now Abigail Brand was telling him that the government was shutting down their experiments and she wouldn't even give an explanation.

It made no sense. These advancements had the potential to revolutionize their understanding of mutation. There were so many legitimate reasons to develop this technology and few reasons outside of irrational politics to hinder it.

"Ms. Brand, if I may…" began Hank in as reasonable a tone he could muster.

"No Mr. McCoy. You may not," said Agent Brand sternly, "Last I checked, this lab was on SWORD's payroll."

"I understand that, but if the General would just give me a chance to describe what we're doing…"

"It won't make a difference," she said, cutting him off abruptly, "You could have the cure for cancer ready to ship and it would still amount to nothing. This is the kind of situation that's beyond science. I know that's not your specialty so let me give you a quick lesson. Whenever an order comes down from the President of the United States, you don't conduct an experiment. You just do it and make sure your ass is covered."

Hank had to restrain himself for arguing further. The animal within him wanted to let out an angry roar. The Mutant Monitoring Initiative was supposed to enable progress that wouldn't have been possible otherwise.

How could President Kelly or General Grimshaw squelch that progress before it had a chance to blossom? Still holding the container in his hand, Hank McCoy quietly seethed in frustration. That sentiment was shared amongst Dr. Rao's team, but they were not inclined to challenge Abigail Brand's authority.

"That lesson goes for all of you," Agent Brand announced to the rest of the team, "I expect you to turn over all your papers and records on this experiment by the end of the day. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Miss Brand," said Dr. Rao solemnly, "If we cannot continue our MGH research, then what does the President want us working on?"

"Build a screen door on a submarine for all I care. Just don't work on anything MGH related until told otherwise," said Agent Brand firmly, "Go back to working on that so-called _cure_ you used to drone on about. If you're as smart as you all claim to be, you'll forget you ever worked on this stuff."

Agent Brand's harsh words echoed throughout the lab. She didn't linger to note the frustration that now permeated throughout Dr. Rao's team. She wasn't in the business of delivering good news. She was under orders like everyone else and if they wanted to keep this cushy arrangement then they had to follow those orders.

Hank McCoy continued fuming as Abigail Brand exited the lab. She took with her all the potential breakthroughs their research could've had and left in her wake plenty of danger that would result from inaction. Some of Dr. Rao's associates were already cleaning out their files, but not without a heavy heart. Hank remained frozen where he stood, fixated on the container in his hand.

"I'm sorry, Hank. If it makes you feel better, this isn't the first time SWORD has canceled a promising breakthrough," said Dr. Rao, offering a comforting gesture.

"I'm afraid that offers little solace," said Hank distantly, "This is wrong and not just because of the good our work could've done. If she received the same report from Psylocke, then she knows that someone else may be developing this technology. What are we to do if we end up having to confront it again?"

"All the more reason to work on our own breakthroughs," she said, "Agent Brand is a harsh personality, but there is purpose behind her every decision."

"Do you tell yourself that to make sacrificing new knowledge more palpable?" said Hank as he clutched the canister firmly.

"It's a matter of trust and we had best not abuse it. We still have plenty to gain and plenty more to lose."

With further coaxing, Dr. Rao managed to pry the canister from Hank's grasp. His feral side wanted to fight for it. He chose not to. He could only watch as Dr. Rao took the canister where it would most likely be locked away or destroyed.

It was enough to make even an intelligible mind seethe with anger. Before now, he never felt hindered by SWORD and the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. Even if Agent Brand had a viable explanation, it could very well be the beginning of a disturbing trend.

 **Outside Purity Church**

"Oh Heavenly Father, forgive them for they know not what they do," said a dazed and wounded Reverend Stryker.

"Will ya give it a rest already, Reverend? Hasn't God made it painfully clear that he doesn't answer prayers from guys who blow up their own churches?" said Rogue, watching as two MSA operatives escorted Reverend Stryker into an armored van.

"You don't know God. You can never know God like I do. You're too ignorant to see the signs," said Stryker in a flat tone.

"A while back, Ah would've agreed with ya. But Ah know God better than you think," she retorted, "If you knew him too, then maybe you would realize how wrong you are."

Reverend Stryker sneered towards Rogue as he was led into the van. He had a large wound on his head and a series of bandages on his torso. Even after numerous blows to the head, William Stryker was still as driven as ever. He still bore a look of disgust, seeing the X-men work with the authorities. In many ways, that was how Rogue and the rest of the team knew that what they were doing had some merit.

Rogue stood by with Remy and Piotr, watching as the MSA kept Stryker restrained. Shortly after Teon knocked him out, the MSA and the local police arrived. They brought EMTs with them to treat Professor Xavier's stab wound.

They also brought in reinforcements from a nearby hospital to start processing the bodies that were left inside. Several large trucks were called in to carry the morbid load. There was already a steady stream of bodies being hauled out from the church. The scale of such a scene put a unique perspective on this affair.

Rogue's perspective included a more spiritual element, which was something she had come to appreciate after her time with Isaac. A man like Stryker was the very antithesis of what she learned. It struck her in a way from which her durability could not protect her. Remy gently draped his arm around her shoulder, which helped to console her.

"Never knew you to debate theology, cherè. This be a new hobby or something more?" said Remy with a slight tease.

"You're still the top philosophy buff, Remy. Don't feel threatened by mah less-simplified outlook on life," said Rogue.

"Why would Remy be threatened? I think it's good when someone calls folks like Stryker out on their ideas. It can be just as effective as a punch to the head."

"But not as satisfying," said Piotr, "Some men never change. They are set in their way and their ideas."

"You don't always have to change a fella's mind in order to debunk his position," Remy pointed out, "This guy was ready to blow up his own church. I think that makes a hell of a statement to anyone that might take him seriously."

"Ah wanna take comfort in that. But Isaac taught meh that people who use God to make excuses tend to be dangerous," mused Rogue as she rested her head on Remy's shoulder.

"Well, hopefully the not-so-good Reverend will be less dangerous in a jail cell," said Piotr.

"Caging him ain't gonna cage that spirit of his. It's that spirit that worries meh most."

"Well save some worry for the Professor, cherè. After takin' a knife from Stryker, I'm sure he be eager to contain this here mess. Given the body count, I'm sure he ain't the only one."

Rogue remained fixated on Stryker for a moment before letting out a tired sigh. It seemed Reverend Stryker's spiritual battle was far from over. There was still plenty to deal in terms of massive body counts and a mysterious slaughter that was sure to raise numerous concerns.

Now that the MSA seemed to have a handle on Stryker, the three X-men turned their attention towards Professor Xavier. He was lying on a gurney just outside an ambulance getting treatment for his stab wound. He was still conscious and looked no worse for wear. Ororo, Jean, Betsy, and Teon stood by his side while he was treated.

While they were relieved that his wounds weren't serious, Professor Xavier remained concerned about the mission. In his mind, it wasn't over yet. Watching the MSA haul piles of bodies out from Purity Church, he seemed to believe that this was just the beginning.

"How are you holding up, Charles?" asked Ororo.

"I'll be fine. I've endured worse," said Professor Xavier.

"Be that as it may, I suggest you spend the night in a hospital," said the EMT that was treating him, "The internal bleeding may have stopped, but given your blood loss I feel it's best to err on the side of caution."

"I appreciate the concern, but we don't have that luxury at the moment," he said, gazing back towards Purity Church, "This conflict isn't over. We cannot simply ignore this large collection of dead bodies."

"We're already making an effort," said Jean, "Captain Freeman has been coordinating with the local MSA chapter. We've sealed off every road leading into this area so we can skip the media blitz."

"It's not the media that concerns me. Whoever attacked the Purifiers made a ghastly statement. They can attack a fighting force as resilient as Reverend Stryker's followers and kill without compunction."

"Killer?" said Teon as he watched a truck of bodies drive by.

"In this instance, I share Teon's instincts," Xavier went on, "Such killing power cannot be overlooked."

"No one is going to overlook it, Professor," said Betsy confidently, "Last I checked, no government tolerates someone else having _that_ kind of killing power. Especially when it's more efficient than they are."

"That didn't stop them from tolerating Weapon X," retorted Xavier, "You saw those claw marks as well. This could be something just as menacing."

"Given how Weapon X has a tradition of blowing up in everyone's face, I doubt anyone will give it another chance," scoffed Betsy.

"That doesn't mean someone else hasn't," he said.

"Well, we don't know who that someone is just yet. Until we do, our work here is done and that means you need to rest in the hospital, Charles," said Betsy.

"I agree," said Ororo, "We will take care of this, Charles. But you need to take care of yourself first. We've seen what happens when you don't."

Such a harsh reminder made Xavier's stab wound sting. The X-men weren't going to let Xavier strain himself again. He had done that many times before and nothing good ever came of it. His concerns about a possible Weapon X related incident were plenty justified. However, there was little else that could be learned. He would be able to uncover much more once he was healthy.

With a defeated sigh, Xavier laid back on the gurney and allowed himself to rest. The doctor finished patching up the wound. He was almost ready to make his way to the hospital, leaving the rest of the cleanup to the authorities.

"Face it, Professor. You're in no condition to argue with us," said Jean with a weak smile, "The best you can do for this investigation is to heal."

"The Mutant Monitoring Initiative has given us allies," said Betsy, gesturing towards the surrounding MSA operatives, "Let those allies help us with the work. They have just as much incentive to investigate this slaughter as we do."

"I just hope it's enough," said Xavier tiredly, "From what I sensed, we're dealing with a very dangerous threat."

"We're used to such danger, Professor," said Ororo, smiling as well, "We'll find out what happened here."

"Moreover, we'll have help from friends in high places," added Betsy, "So try not to worry. The investigation has already begun."

Professor Xavier seemed reassured by their words. He was content to spend the night in a hospital. But just as he prepared to depart with the EMTs, Captain Freeman approached after having been on his phone for the last half-hour.

"I'm afraid I'll have to correct you, Betsy. There isn't going to be an investigation," said the mutant soldier.

"Wait, say that again?" said Rogue as she, Remy, and Piotr caught up, "Did Ah just hear that the same government that makes such a big deal outta mass murders ain't gonna look into this mess any further?"

"I hope that is a misunderstanding," said Piotr.

"You heard what I said so don't act so outraged," said Captain Freeman flatly, "I just finished talking to General Grimshaw. His words were _painfully_ blunt. No one is to dig any deeper into this incident. As far as he and President Kelly are concerned, this is a closed case."

Professor Xavier shot up, causing a sharp pain in his side. This pain was secondary to his shock. The rest of the X-men stared at Captain Freeman with a baffled expression. This had to be a mistake.

"This…this can't be true!" exclaimed Xavier, "Get General Grimshaw back on the phone. I must speak with him!"

"Charles, your wounds…" began Ororo.

"I can heal later," he said strongly, "Right now, I need an explanation. After what we just witnessed, I'd say we're entitled to one."

"If you want entitlement, vote for the Democrats," quipped Captain Freeman, "I don't like it either, but it's already a done deal. You know the General. Once he makes a decision, he doesn't change his mind."

"Bullocks!" said Betsy, "This makes no sense! I thought Grimshaw was the poster boy for anti-Weapon X sentiment!"

"Did he not see the pictures of the bodies that we sent him?" added Jean, "He has to look into this!"

"I don't doubt that he will, but it won't involve us," said the Green Beret, "Our orders are clear. We're to be debriefed back in DC and set this case aside indefinitely."

"Indefinitely be a long time when we be dealing with Weapon X," said Remy, "Has the General done lost his damn mind? You know as well as the rest of us that a lot of bad mojo gonna come from this!"

Captain Freeman remained stoic under the X-men's harsh gaze. Jean, Ororo, Rogue, Remy, Piotr, Betsy, and Professor Xavier looked utterly outraged. They had too much direct experience with Weapon X to just set this case aside. Even Teon seemed to sense how foolish this order was. He growled at Captain Freeman, as if to show that even on an instinctual level this was wrong. Even if he agreed with them, there was little he could do.

"No fight?" said Teon.

"I'm sorry, guys. Really, I'm as surprised as you," he said.

"Somehow I doubt that, comrade," said Piotr strongly.

"Surprised ain't even half of it. Pissed off is more like it!" said Rogue.

"If you want to probe General Grimshaw for answers, be my guest. But he told me to remind you of something…just because we're partners under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative doesn't mean you're privy to _every_ bit of information."

"Is that a reminder or a warning?" questioned Ororo.

"It is what it is," replied Captain Freeman, "And if his tone was any indication, you would be wise not to test him. This initiative has come so far. Now is not the time to jeopardize it."

The Green Beret wasn't trying to speak in a threatening tone, but if those were General Grimshaw's words then there was no other way to interpret it. He was keeping something from them. After everything they had been through under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, he still didn't trust them. Not only did it make no sense, it rendered the X-men powerless in ways that ran counter to everything the initiative stood for.

Captain Freeman offered no further explanation. He turned away, leaving the X-men to process this unexpected turn of events. It stung more than any stab wound. The team turned to Professor Xavier, who had nothing else to say. The Mutant Monitoring Initiative was his vision. The resources they gained meant nothing in the face of cold, hard politics. Neither he nor the X-men were the only ones to recognize the implications.

"You see? It's another sign, X-men!" shouted Reverend Stryker, who had overheard part of their argument, "Your day of reckoning will come. Only _then_ will you understand the wrath you've incurred."

"Shut up, Reverend!" said one of the MSA operatives as he shoved Stryker into the armored van, "And just so you're as uncomfortable as possible, I'm Jewish."

Stryker's hateful remarks were stifled once the doors of the armored van were closed. However, the impact of his words still lingered.

"Is it odd that Stryker didn't sound so crazy this time?" wondered Jean.

"I wouldn't call it odd. _Sickening_ would be more appropriate," said Piotr.

"But he's still wrong, ain't he?" said Rogue, turning back to the Professor, "We'll find a way around this, won't we?"

Professor Xavier held his head low, feeling conflicted and powerless. Jean, Ororo, Rogue, Remy, Piotr, and Betsy were at a loss. For once, he wasn't in a position to deal with a potential crisis. It was a distressing feeling and one that could come back to haunt them in many ways.

"I hope so, Rogue," he told her, "There are clearly some mysterious forces at work here. I truly believe we can do something about it. But will we be in a position to do so? I honestly don't know."

 **Unknown Location**

"Heather! Heather, where are you? Radio silence is _not_ part of this mission!"

The frantic cries of James Hudson echoed through deathly silent halls. Everywhere he looked, he saw either darkness or destruction. Occasionally, he saw a dead body or two. If their state of decomposition was any indication, he was too late before this mission even began. Everything was going wrong and on top of that his wife was missing.

Armed in the special enhancer suit that was standard for all White Cell operatives, James Hudson maintained his role of Guardian as he carefully navigated this facility. His superiors told him that it was part of some rogue operation by the Hand. It was also supposed to have ties to Black Tom Cassidy, but Guardian was seriously starting to question their intelligence.

The whole complex was a death trap. As soon as he and his wife, Heather Hudson, entered, they were attacked with automated gun turrets and anti-personnel mines. Either someone had a sic sense of humor or they didn't want them to find something important.

Guardian ran faster through the nearby corridors, leaping over large holes in the floor and passing by small fires that had been left by previous explosives. His wife hadn't checked in for nearly twenty minutes. They also weren't encountering any of Black Tom's thugs or Hand's ninjas. For all he knew they were long gone. To finish the mission, he needed to find Heather and uncover what was going on here.

"Heather? This isn't funny anymore!" he shouted, "For all we know, the Hand wired this place to blow. We need to fall back and figure out what the hell is going on here!"

With increasing urgency, he pushed his enhancer suit harder and literally plowed through a pile of burning debris that was blocking a major doorway. His face got a little singed in the process, but he shook it off and kept moving forward. As he emerged through the smoke, he saw a distinct figure ahead of him.

"James! Is that you?" came the urgent voice of Heather Hudson.

"Heather! Where the hell have you been? We need to…" he began.

"No time to explain! Follow me! I've found something," she told him.

"What is it? What did you find?"

"You have to see it to believe it. Follow me!" she said, already running full speed ahead of him.

Despite being short of breath, Guardian sprinted full speed to catch up with his wife. She led him past two more piles of burning debris and a few dead bodies, all of which looked badly burned. The air was getting hotter and denser. Whatever Heather found, it needed to include some answers.

He eventually caught up with her at a seemingly unremarkable doorway at the end of a hall. It looked like the entrance to a typical storage closet. He assumed there was more to it, trusting that Heather knew what she was doing. It didn't help the uneasy feeling that continued to fester in the pit of his stomach. As he stood in front of the door, he maintained a cautious stance.

"You gonna keep me in suspense or am I going to have to bust the door down?" he asked Heather, who was in her Vindicator suit.

"I'll let you decide on the door. As for the suspense, I'd rather not waste time putting it into words. We're working on a time limit, remember?" she told him.

"When are we not?" he said in exasperation, "This better be the first step to getting the hell outta of this dump!"

Guardian barged past Vindicator and swiftly kicked down the door. With little hesitation, he stormed into the room. What he found was even more shocking than he expected.

"What the…Heather?!" he exclaimed.

His frustration turned to sheer confusion. It turned out the room was a storage closet. There was nothing but empty shelves and a dirty mop bucket, but the most shocking feature was in the middle of the room. Sitting before him tied to a chair in nothing but her underwear was his wife, Heather Hudson.

It looked like someone had roughed her up pretty good. She had a nasty bruise on her face and a black eye. As he struggled to process what he was seeing, the confusion quickly turned to dread.

"This has to be a trick!" he exclaimed, "The Hand must be…"

"Hnn…behind you," said Heather in a raspy voice.

Guardian quickly remembered the other Heather Hudson that led him to this room. If this was the real Heather, then who was it that led him here? Before he could turn around and ask, he felt a sharp sting in his lower back. A painful surge through his enhancer suit followed, rendering him paralyzed and limp.

"AHHHHHHH!" he yelled out.

"I told you, didn't I? You had to see it to believe it!" said the other Heather Hudson.

While Guardian was too stunned to react, the Heather behind him took out a special metal device and jammed it into his enhancer suit. It was a special tazer, one specifically made for overloading White Cell's hardware. That kind of technology was difficult to come by, but it got the job done. As Guardian fell to the floor, the second Heather revealed her true form. She was Mystique and her little ploy had worked perfectly.

"Damn you, Mystique!" spat Heather.

"He'll be fine," assured the shape-shifter, giving James's body a rough nudge, "You both deserve the discomfort. You fell for my little trick. You actually believed that the Hand was working with Black Tom out of this old dump? White Cell must be losing their touch."

"You're fucking with the wrong people! Trust me when I say my superiors will find you and make you suffer!" spat Heather.

"I'm counting on it," said Mystique with a wry grin, "Now that your better half has joined us, we can get back to the Q&A. I believe you were about to tell me all about these superiors of yours. One in particular has my interest."

 **Up next: Capital Corruption**


	13. Issue 161: Capital Corruption

**Issue #161  
Capital Corruption**

* * *

 _The conflict between humans and mutants grows with each passing day. Professor Charles Xavier assembled a team of gifted mutants, the X-men, to fight for peace and understanding. That fight led to the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, a partnership between the X-men and the governments of the world. That partnership allows them to give peace of mind to a wary public while bringing infamous men like Sebastian Shaw to justice. Now that same partnership is under fire._

 _In wake of Sebastian Shaw's arrest, many secrets have been uncovered. Corruption has been exposed. Mutants have lost jobs and livelihoods as a result of Shaw's fall. In the midst of these escalating conflicts, Revered William Stryker reemerged after a mysterious attack that left his Purifiers decimated. The X-men were able to confront him. In doing so they discovered a new threat._

 _The attack that killed the Purifiers had all the marks of Weapon X. However, before the X-men can investigate any further, President Kelly and General Grimshaw put a stop to it. The great resources that the Mutant Monitoring Initiative once provided have now become a liability for the X-men._

 _While they are unable to investigate the source of the attack, X-Force has no such restrictions. Led by Cyclops, the team is already hot on the trail of these mysterious attackers. They believe there is a connection to White Cell, the mysterious private defense contractor that has caused problems before. Now, the race is on to confront them before they strike first._

* * *

 **Boston Harbor**

Former Weapon X-23's life had been one mission after the other. She was never conditioned to be a normal teenager. She was conditioned to be an unthinking, unflinching weapon. It was a constant struggle to maintain the humanity that she worked so hard to recover. The surrogate father, Wolverine, helped her a great deal in that struggle. Lately, others like Julian Keller, helped a great deal as well.

"Tell me again what I'm eating," said Laura as she and Julian walked around the outskirts of the Boston Harbor.

"Fried crab meat on a stick," said Julian as he devoured his helping of the regional dish, "By far, one of Boston's best culinary contributions."

"It tastes…fishy," she said.

"It's seafood. It's _supposed_ to taste that way," he joked, "Is it really that bad?"

"I didn't say it was bad. It's just not like anything I've ever eaten before. Where I came from, I had a strict diet that was supposed to make me stronger."

"And it didn't include seafood?"

"It didn't include much of anything. I would describe it to you, but I'd rather not. It tasted nothing like the foods I've eaten since I left."

"Damn, you've definitely been deprived!" said Julian, shaking his head, "So long as you're at the Academy, that won't happen. Stick with me and you'll be hooked on the best junk good your stomach can handle."

He made it sound like his own personal mission of sorts. Laura looked towards him and actually smiled. She was still getting used to expressing herself, especially when it came to positive feelings. Julian evoked more positive feelings than most. He didn't seem turned off by her stoic personality. If anything, he found it intriguing.

As Laura finished her meal, Julian casually slipped his arm around her shoulder and led her further down the harbor. She found herself needing that feeling more and more lately. Ever since the incident with Beak, Laura made a concerted effort to act like a regular teenage girl. It wasn't easy, but moments like this helped. It was like thumbing her nose at her sadistic creators, becoming everything they didn't want her to become.

"Thank you, Julian. You've been very helpful. Even if your maturity is constantly in question," said Laura as she finished her snack.

"You've been talking to Sam and Roberto again, haven't you?" teased Julian, "I thought I told you that half of what they say about me is total bullshit."

"That still leaves half, but I don't hold it against you," she assured him, "You've done more for me than anyone at the Academy. I know I don't make it easy for you. I'm surprised you haven't quit on me a few times."

"Well after that incident where you sliced through my bedroom door while I was watching a movie with one too many explosions, I did consider it," he joked.

"And I can't promise there won't be more incidents like that," she said in a more serious tone, "Logan told me that trying to be a normal teenage girl is important. I'm inclined to believe him. But it's difficult when I still have these powerful _instincts_."

"You'd be surprised how many other teenage girls struggle with _instincts_. Tabitha and Amara can't seem to control themselves at times."

"These instincts are different. I live every day with the assumption that I'm still being hunted. Wolverine told me himself that this mentality will never disappear completely. The problem is my instincts keep telling me that the threats are there and I need to attack them. Most of the time, nothing is there. Even if there was, it limits my ability to be _normal_. Sometimes I wonder that even after I do everything I can to rebuild my life…I'll still be a monster."

Laura led Julian away from the main boardwalk to a quieter part of the harbor. Having finished her snack, she needed a moment to collect herself. They found themselves standing between a closed food hut and couple of storage containers.

She was still not comfortable with crowds, especially when she got worked up. She had to pull away from Julian for a moment. He gave her some space as she hugged her shoulders. He stood awkwardly behind her, staying silent for a moment before trying to console her.

"Uh…is this one of those times where you need some space?" asked Julian.

"No. Please don't leave," she told him, "I just…"

"You don't need to explain yourself," he said, "I get it. Old scars have a way of re-opening themselves. There's nothing I can say to make it go away. So I won't try."

Laura tensed as she felt Julian's concerned eyes on her. It was one of those limits that made it difficult for her to relate to him or anyone for that matter. To his credit, Julian was patient with her. That didn't make it any less frustrating.

An awkward silence lingered for a moment. Laura took deep breaths just as Logan and others at the Academy taught her, trying to collect herself before her instincts got the better of her. Just when it seemed as though the feeling had passed, a mysterious new scent filled the air. It was a scent that triggered an entirely new set of instincts.

' _That smell. It smells like…no, this is different!'_

Clenching her firsts, the former living weapon snarled at more scents followed.

"You need to leave, Julian," she said sternly.

"What did I do wrong now?" he groaned, "If talking about instincts is really that stressful, then I'll…"

"It's not that. We're being watched," said Laura intently, "If you know what's good for you, you'll start running!"

"Well I've never been known for my judgement, so you mind giving me a better reason?"

Laura grunted in frustration. Julian clearly wasn't going to just walk away from her and she didn't have time to convince him that this wasn't mere paranoia. As he looked at her in confusion, she noticed an ominous shadow come over him. Reacting on pure instinct, the former living weapon lunged towards Julian and tackled him to the ground.

"GET DOWN!" she exclaimed.

With only a fraction of a second to spare, Laura shoved Julian out of the way just as a dark figure passed over. He landed flat on his back, getting the wind knocked out of him in the process. While he was stunned, Laura instinctively shot up and drew her claws.

As she took in her assailant, she noticed an ominous similarity between them. Like her, he also had a set of claws protruding from his knuckles. He wore a black body suit not unlike the one her creators had her wear. He also had a dark helmet covering his entire head. However, the helmet didn't hide a familiar scent.

"You…you smell like, Wolverine. But you're _not_ him!" she seethed.

"Weapon X-23," said the figure in a voice that sounded like it came from a computer.

"My name is Laura! Laura Howlett!" she barked, "Get it right or I'll carve it into your skull!"

"You must come with us. Your must fulfill your purpose."

"Who the hell is _us_?" Laura snarled, "I killed every last asshole that took part in my creation!"

"No. You have not," said the figure in a mechanical tone.

As soon as he said these words, Laura picked up more scents. In a series of flashes, four more mysterious figures appeared. They looked completely identical, bearing the same black suits and mask. As soon as they appeared, they each drew their own set of claws. Within moments, they surrounded her.

"Hnn…Laura?" groaned Julian, still trying to get his lungs working again.

"Do you need a better reason, Julian? Run!" roared Laura.

"I'm not leaving you!" he exclaimed.

"You can and you will. This is my fight. I can handle it!"

The dark figures surrounded her, their claws drawn as they prepared to attack the feral young mutant. They moved in perfect synchronicity. They surrounded their target from all sides, but former Weapon X-23 was ready to take them on. It promised to incur a great deal of violence and bloodshed. For that reason, the figures instigated special tactic that promised to mitigate this situation.

While X-23 was preparing to attack, another presence emerged from behind one of the storage crates. However, his was different from the other figures in that he wasn't wearing a mask or a special tactical suit. Instead, he bore attire that ensured Laura and everyone related to Logan knew who they were dealing with.

Like a predatory animal stalking its prey, he snuck up to the still stunned Julian Keller. Just as he was about to get up, the imposing man pulled him into a powerful choke hold. Once the young mutant was in his grasp, he made his presence known to Laura.

"Ack!" choked Julian, once again unable to breathe.

"Care to rethink that, little miss runt?" snarled a bemused Victor Creed.

Laura tensed upon hearing that voice. She never heard it before, but it sounded familiar. When she turned around she recognized him as someone Logan had told her about. He was even more repugnant than she imagined. Worst of all, he had Julian in his grasp.

"Sabretooth!" she growled, "Logan was right. You stink worse than a thousand toxic waste dumps."

"Good to know Logan told you all about his old buddy. Did he also tell you what I do to the people he cares about?" quipped Sabretooth, holding his claws closer to Julian's neck.

"If you so much as breathe on him…" she threatened.

"Blah blah. You'll cut me to pieces. Yada yada. You'll kill me a dozen times over," laughed the feral mutant, "Jeez! You really are his clone. Hope that means you're not as stupid as him. Otherwise your boyfriend here is gonna regret ever wanting to bone you."

Laura snarled with murderous rage. This man knew Logan very well. That meant he knew her too, possibly in ways she couldn't imagine. Between him, the five masked figures, and Julian's predicament, her decision was clear. This was one instance where her instincts and her humanity were in agreement. Despite a determined look from Julian, she withdrew her claws.

"What do you want from me, Sabretooth?" she said flatly, "How many more reasons are you going to give Logan to kill you?"

"I've yet to decide," grinned Sabretooth, still maintaining a firm grip on Julian, "Cooperate and we'll both find out soon enough. We've got an overdue reunion to get to. And you're gonna make sure my old buddy ain't late!"

* * *

 **Nova Roma – X-Force Base**

"Are you absolutely sure about this, Mystique?" asked an anxious yet intrigued Scott Summers.

"Reasonably sure," answered the shape-shifter, "The Hudsons played stubborn for a while, but eventually I _coaxed_ them into a pleasant conversation."

"I hope you veren't too _rough_ vith zhem, mother," said Kurt, unnerved by some of what his mother told him.

"They'll be fine…in a day or two."

Mystique's presence was always cause for concern. There was never any doubt that she was up to something. Only a select few had an idea of what it entailed. This time, however, she didn't take sides or work angles. Her missions were personal. Now, as X-Force continued uncovering Shaw's many shady connections, she summoned Kurt, who teleported her back to their base so she could reveal what she had learned.

What she had was more than just disturbing information. It was an astonishing coincidence. Not long ago, Emma Frost paid a visit to Sebastian Shaw's prison cell where she learned more about the mysterious business partner that betrayed him. Just as they hit a dead end, Mystique returned with more tantalizing details. In the War Room, she had Scott, Logan, James, Kurt, Warren, Domino, and Emma's full attention.

"I can't believe it. These White Cell assholes are at it again!" growled Logan.

"Actually, it makes a lot of sense," said James as he and Domino sifted through some old pictures, "I knew my brother was onto something. There's no way it stopped at that bullshit with the Mutant Liberation Front."

"These photos we've been taking only add more _volatility_ to the mix," said Domino as she placed a few larger photographs down, "As it just so happens, White Cell has been pulling back their operations since the Shaw incident. They're opting out of their lucrative contracts left and right. Not exactly a sound business practice to say the least."

"Neither was betraying Shaw," added Emma Frost, "As a former businesswoman of immodest success, this raises many red flags. No obscenely profitable private military sacrifices so many lucrative deals without a damn good reason."

"I don't think money is the issue here," said Scott as he pondered this situation further, "That, or maybe money is no longer the issue."

"Since when did greedy businessmen suddenly stop being so greedy?" wondered Warren.

"Greed might not be the motivating factor," said Mystique, "I set a trap for the Hudsons because a recent vision from Destiny indicated that they were _indirectly_ involved in the deal with Shaw."

"And how reliable are these so-called visions?" said Domino skeptically.

"Reliable enough to confirm what I already suspected," said the shape-shifter, "The same man I've been searching for is involved with White Cell. He's the same man that betrayed Shaw with the MGH deal. If this involves who I think it does, then money may not even be top ten in his list of aspirations."

"You talkin' about _him_?" said Logan in a more serious tone.

"Who else would go to such extraordinary lengths for so long?"

The former living weapon snarled as vivid memories came rushing back. He could tell Mystique was recalling those same memories. It covered that one striking gap that neither of them could seem to recall. If this was really him, then they were facing more than just another one of Shaw's corrupt business partners.

"Who exactly is this _him_ you keep referring to?" asked Domino as she set the pictures aside.

"Is he zhe same man ve tried locating zhe first time ve tracked down zhe Hudsons?" asked Kurt.

"There's a reason why he's so difficult to find. Even the Hudsons only had a vague idea of where and how he operated," said Mystique distantly, "He's had a long time to insulate himself. I get the sense that he's not trying as hard anymore. He may even _want_ us to find him."

"If this mystery man has a name, that would be most helpful," said Warren, "You're giving us very little to go on."

"If I knew that, then I wouldn't have left James Hudson's teeth intact," retorted Mystique, "We're talking about gaps in my memory that even Sinister couldn't rebuild. Someone has obviously gone to great lengths to keep my knowledge of him limited. You think I would have stayed undercover for this long if I didn't have the details?"

"You're being awfully vague here, Mystique," said Scott sternly, "Keep in mind that not everyone in this room fully trusts you."

"I trust her. That's all you need to know, Summers," said Logan, who approached the X-Force leader in a confrontational manner.

"As if sleeping with a woman is the only qualification for trust," said Emma dryly, earning a scold from Logan and Kurt.

It was still unsettling, trusting information from Mystique. Even though Kurt was her son and she had a connection with Logan, she had a long history of deception. Even if she was being sincere, it only added to a long list of unanswered questions.

"Trust or no trust, it adds up," said James, still going over some spy photos, "After meeting with the Beaubier twins again, I think my brother was looking for the same man. From what they told me, the power structure in White Cell is pretty elaborate. It's organized so that no one level of the organization can identify with another."

"A common strategy among most private armies," shrugged Emma, "That way if they're ever charged with war crimes, they can't identify their superior officers."

"And you think that this same mystery man that Mystique's been searching for is at the very top level of that organization?" said Scott.

"Based on what Emma extracted from Shaw, it's more than probable," said James, "A private army that employs mutants could do a lot of damage with MGH at their disposal."

"Maybe that's what John was investigating," mused Warren, "Maybe it was another reason why he left the X-men."

"Or maybe it became a reason later on," said James in a darker tone, "We both thought White Cell was a godsend. Since they did so much good for our reservation, he got in real deep with them. Maybe it was too deep. From the looks of it, MGH might have been the last straw."

"Even if they were the ones behind MGH, I doubt they're just looking to corner the market," said Mystique, "White Cell is preparing for something big. And I don't think the X-men, the MSA, or anyone in between is in a position to stop it."

"Given all the lobbying White Cell does in Washington, I think it's safe to assume the President will be reluctant to investigate. If it works for my dad, then it'll definitely work for a group like White Cell," said Warren.

"That means X-Force will have to be proactive on this," said Scott assertively, "We lost out in the battle against Shaw. The X-men and the rest of the world are billing it as a triumph of the Mutant Monitoring initiative. If we can reveal that White Cell was pulling the strings, then X-Force will have made an important statement."

It was an important breakthrough with vast implications. X-Force was still reeling from their defeat in Mexico. They needed to show that while the Mutant Monitoring Initiative could succeed on some levels, it overlooked others that could be even more damaging in the long run.

Armed with such a powerful lead, Scott made his way to the War Room computer and booted up a holographic projection of the world. With a few quick data inquiries, he highlighted a number of dots in certain areas. Logan, Mystique, Domino, James, Emma, Warren, and Kurt gathered around to see where they were going with this.

"What you're looking at here is a map of all known bases for White Cell," said Scott, "Most of this information comes from what John Proudstar left us. Some are publicly acknowledged. Others aren't."

"Does this include the affiliates that John uncovered?" asked James.

"That and some old Shaw Industry hubs," said the X-Force leader, "In total, it includes over 200 facilities in over 60 countries. Most are probably legitimate. According to Mystique, they're all being coordinated by a central hub. If we find that hub, we'll find this mystery man."

"So we're really going after this guy that Mystique and Logan can't even remember?" said Domino with a raised eyebrow, "Am I the only one that sees a problem with that?"

"Ve're pinning all our hopes on zhis man," said Kurt, who seemed to share Domino's concern, "Are you sure zhis is zhe vay to go?"

"As sure as I'll need a beer by the time this shit is over," answered Logan, "Whoever this _mentor_ is, he's got the answers we need. If my memories are any indication, he's as bad as Shaw and twice as deadly."

"All the more reason to find him," said Scott as he enlarged the map, "Anyone from your past tends to be nasty anyways. In that sense, we're more ready than we think."

"I'll take that as an insult and call you a prick," muttered Logan.

"Ready or not, finding this man will be a problem even if X-Force wasn't in the MSA's crosshairs," said Mystique, "I spent months trying to infiltrate White Cell. James Hudson only told me about this special hub from which every order originates. Do you really think you'll be able to find that hub before it blows up in all our faces?"

"You almost sound skeptical, Mystique. Do you have _that_ little faith in us?" said Domino dryly.

"In my experience, all X-related teams tend to be clumsy at best," said the shape shifter.

"You're doing little to pay your trust dividend, mother," warned Kurt.

"We may not have to go far," said Scott as he began a series of animations on the map, "According to James, White Cell is already in a heightened state of activity. The activity is centered on only a handful of locations. Assuming the information Mystique gave us is valid, we should be able to trace a central source."

"Your vote of confidence is _so_ inspiring," said Mystique dryly.

"Careful Mystique," said Warren in a threatening tone, "We're sticking our necks out for you and I would appreciate it if you didn't get them chopped off."

"Save the hostility for the enemy, Warren. We need Mystique as much as she needs us," said Scott, shooting the shape-shifter hardened look, "She'll be running point with us. She'll have to if she wants our help."

"Assume what you want with Mystique, Summers. But don't assume anything with this guy. We did that with Shaw and that sure as hell didn't work out," said Logan.

"Not to pile on, Scott. But I still have the bruised ribs to prove it," added Domino.

"I haven't forgotten, X-Force. I don't intend on making the same mistake twice," said the X-Force leader, "I have every intention of having a Plan B this time. I'll throw a Plan C and D in for good measure because this is one instance where we can't expect to cross paths with the X-men. This may end up being bigger than MGH, Sebastian Shaw, or the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. It's exactly the kind of crisis that X-Force is equipped to handle. After what happened in Mexico, failure is _not_ an option."

Scott made it sound like a second chance of sorts. X-Force had been wounded and outsmarted by Sebastian Shaw. It shook their cause and their confidence to the core. Emma's interrogation of Shaw along with revelations from Mystique now put them in a position to finish what the X-men and the MSA thought was already over.

Scott enlarged the map so they could begin coordinating their search. As he was starting to trace potential sites for the hub Mystique mentioned, Logan's cell phone went off. It caught him off guard because he wasn't one to get phone calls and only a select few had his number.

"Logan, if you're going to keep your cell phone on during meetings at least pick a more creative ring tone," said Emma in her usual harsh tone.

"No kidding," said Warren, "I thought part of being in a secret X-men team meant being under the radar. As in no cell phones."

"I'll yell at you two later. I need to take this," said Logan as he stepped aside to answer.

"Make it quick, Logan. We need to go over our plan of attack," said Scott impatiently, "We can't fall behind with this mentor of yours like we did with Shaw."

Logan snarled angrily as he answered his phone. He recognized the number it displayed as belonging to Laura. She only called at certain times to check in. This wasn't one of those times, which was sign that something was wrong.

"What is it, kid? This ain't a good time to…Julian? What the hell are you doing with Laura's phone?" barked Logan.

"Julian?" said Emma, now more intrigued by this development, "As in the same Julian that should be in class right now?"

"You guys want to pay attention here?" said James impatiently, eager to finish his brother's work.

"Shut up! This may be related," barked Logan as he turned his attention back to the phone, "Start talking, kid. What happened to…what do you mean she surrendered? That ain't Laura…so you just let them take her? Why the hell didn't you…Sabretooth?! You better not be fucking with me kid!"

"Watch the language, Logan. That's my student you're talking to," said Emma strongly.

Logan ignored Emma's remark. Now all of X-Force turned their attention to Logan. The mention of Sabretooth added another piece to the puzzle. If this affair involved someone from Logan's past, then it was only appropriate that Sabretooth be involved.

"Son of a bitch…Give me at least one reason I shouldn't stop yelling at you…I see. Fuck, guess that qualifies…you picked a piss poor time to be useful, bub," said Logan, groaning in frustration, "Sit tight! I'll be there in ten minutes."

Logan threw aside the phone, breaking it in the process. Now Scott, Warren, James, Domino, Kurt, and Mystique were all looking at him. It sounded like their predicament had just gained a new complication.

"How bad is it, mien friend?" asked Kurt anxiously.

"Talk to us, Logan," urged Scott, "I heard the name Sabretooth and Weapon X. What does it mean?"

"It means there's gonna be a change in plan, bub," snarled the feral mutant, "We can skip the part where we go door-to-door with White Cell. Sabretooth just dropped a bit fucking clue in our lap and I'll bet you all the wine in Nova Roma it'll lead us straight to the man we're lookin' for."

* * *

 **White House – Conference Room**

General Grimshaw had mixed views when it came to secrecy. He was never a fan of elaborate cover-ups. In his experience, they often came back to haunt him. At the same time, certain secrets had to be kept. Some information was just too hard for the public to process. It would undermine both the military and the laws that kept the country in check. These contrasting views were never more at odds after the revelations surrounding Sebastian Shaw.

"Good work today, General. You're managing this well," said the Secretary of Defense as he and several officers filed out of the conference room.

"Did you forget to add the sarcasm? That seems to be the sentiment throughout the MSA," said General Grimshaw in an exasperated tone.

"I'm as sincere as anyone in my rank can be, which isn't saying much," he replied, "You're not just doing the right thing. Sebastian Shaw shares the stench of one too many dirty secrets. Bringing him down has already cost many corrupt officials their jobs. If word spreads about White Cell, it would be many times worse."

"Don't remind me, Mr. Secretary. I have enough trouble sleeping at night as it stands."

The Secretary of Defense offered a reassuring gesture. It showed that for all his bold work, General Grimshaw still had support from the top. The encouragement was welcome, but the sentiment was bittersweet.

The General found himself lingering at the table while the rest of the staff filed out. The only other person that lingered was Captain Jack Freeman. He attended this meeting so he could back up General Grimshaw. Despite all the positive news surrounding Shaw's arrest, there were plenty of complications.

"Do you need a moment, sir?" asked Captain Freeman, "Should I get you an aspirin? Shot of morphine maybe?"

"I'm okay, Captain. I just need my stomach to catch up to my brain," assured the General.

"For what it's worth, I agree the Secretary of Defense," the mutant soldier, "Regardless of the fact that he used to work for White Cell and still accepts their donations."

"You really should learn to quit while you're ahead, Captain," said Grimshaw dryly.

"That's training I haven't really had time for. We've all been busy cleaning up the clutter left by Shaw. We've shut down one too many corrupt factories, put one too many desperate mutants out of work, and exposed the kind of corruption that would make Michael Moore's head explode. We have our limits. There's only so much we can and should do at once."

" _Should_ being the operative word, Captain," came a new voice.

General Grimshaw and Captain Freeman looked back towards the doorway where most of the staff had exited. Standing in the doorway was wounded, yet irate Charles Xavier. Having suffered a stab wound from Reverend Stryker, he had enough reasons to be upset. The recent revelations surrounding White Cell only gave him more.

"Professor Xavier," greeted the General, "I thought you were supposed to take a week off so your insides could heal."

"You're talking to a man who spent a good chunk of his life in a wheelchair, General. A stab wound is hardly capable of hindering my efforts. Especially when the people I'm supposed to trust insist on ignoring my concerns."

"Do we really have to discuss _this_ again?" groaned the General, "There's a long list of issues we've yet to resolve. If it's all the same to you, I'd rather move forward."

"Therein lies the problem, General. It's _not_ all the same," said Xavier as he approached the beleaguered officer, "Part of moving forward involves making sure relics of the past don't come back to bite us. From what I've heard, there were plenty of bite marks before Shaw was even arrested."

Despite being in discomfort from his injuries, the Professor stood in front of the General so that he would have to walk through him in order to leave. It was his way of trapping the decorated officer so he couldn't avoid the issue. Captain Freeman was prepared to move in and push Xavier back, but General Grimshaw waved him down.

"Are you going to yell at me for canceling all MGH research? If so, you should know that Hank McCoy beat you to it," said the General in an exasperated tone.

"There are many reasons why it's worth belaboring," said Xavier as he took a step closer, "Never mind the fact that MGH had tremendous promise for understanding mutation and dealing with it in the future. I'll even overlook the great lengths Abigail Brand went to in destroying every sample that SWORD managed to concoct."

"Then why are you looking at me as though I punched you in the jaw for good measure?" quipped Grimshaw with folded arms.

"Because your reasons for doing so are _far_ more egregious," he replied, "It's one thing to throw away something like MGH out of paranoia. It's quite another when the reason is based on who it may be affiliated with in addition to Sebastian Shaw."

General Grimshaw shook his head and groaned. He had a feeling this conversation would come up. It dealt with something that no one was equipped to deal with. It centered around an organization he went out of his way to avoid.

"I take it someone uttered the words White Cell," said the General.

"I read over Shaw's recent round of interrogation. It was quite distressing to find out that certain details were omitted from the report I received."

"How exactly did you get your hands on those?" questioned the General.

"Need I remind you that I'm the world's most powerful psychic?" he reminded, "Not all your men are as skilled at guarding their secrets as you are. That and under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, I can exercise a certain level of clearance. Did you really think you could hide Shaw's revelation about White Cell?"

"We weren't sure if they were the ones Shaw had described. We're still looking into it."

"Please don't patronize me, General," said Xavier in a crass tone, "You and I both know there aren't too many private armies that employ mutants. His every word describes White Cell to the letter. I know I'm not the only one that came to this conclusion. Bear in mind my X-men have clashed with White Cell. I know the signs as well as you."

General Grimshaw scowled Xavier's harsh tone. He also scowled himself and all the officers around him that thought they could keep these details from a man like Professor Xavier. In addition to being a powerful psychic, the Mutant Monitoring Initiative gave him access that they couldn't prevent him from exercising. This was bound to happen eventually, but it wouldn't change the outcome.

"This is a touchy issue, Xavier…more so than you can possibly understand," said the General, who tried to maintain a reasonable tone.

"I understand enough, General," said Xavier sternly, "White Cell is more than just a dirty word around here. It's a _scandal_. One that became necessary years ago when every country agreed to ban mutants from their military."

"Be careful with your choice of words. You're entering dangerous territory," he said in a more apprehensive tone.

"I've been there more often than you think. Keep in mind, one of my former students used to work for White Cell. I know how they operate. They do the kind of work that some governments would rather pay others to do. Now the attack on Reverend Stryker reveals a possible connection with White Cell…one that may even be linked to whoever betrayed Shaw. You didn't try very hard to keep the truth from me, but you refuse to do anything about it. You're content to brush it off and hope it goes away."

"It's not that simple. You're smart enough to know when there are damn good reasons and when it's better that you not know them. I hope that is what's keeping you from ripping the details out of my mind."

"That's because I have a keen interest in preserving the integrity of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. I'd rather not resort to probing minds to uncover threats that are being ignored. You saw the pictures of what happened to the Purifiers. Are you going to tell me that this isn't an apparent threat?"

"There's definitely an element of Weapon X, but there's not enough evidence to link the attack to White Cell. That's our official statement and it isn't changing."

"Don't talk to me about evidence, General. Everyone in your department and their aides suspects White Cell."

"You might want to lower your tone, Xavier," said Captain Freeman, stepping in front of Xavier with an intimidating glare.

"I'll use whatever tone I deem appropriate," he shot back, "Between Shaw's testimony and the attack on the Purifiers, we have more than enough reason to investigate White Cell. Yet your people are saying we can't touch them."

At this point, Xavier was getting so worked up that his injuries caught up with him. He clutched his side where the stab wound still festered. General Grimshaw maintained a hardened demeanor, hiding his frustration. Captain Freeman stayed in front, keeping Xavier from keeling over while maintaining a tough demeanor. It helped calm the powerful psychic down while dissuading him from drawing out his outburst.

"I think you've made your point, Professor," said Captain Freeman flatly.

"Do you not have an opinion on this matter, Captain Freeman?" asked Xavier, short of breath from the pain, "Would you end a mission before you knew it was complete?"

"I'm a Green Beret. My mission ends when my orders end. I may not agree with everything my commanding officers do, but General Grimshaw has my trust pretty much every issue that I'm not equipped to understand. You and the X-men would be better off accepting that."

Professor Xavier's gaze narrowed as he pulled away from Captain Freeman, refusing any additional support.

"I don't believe that for a second, Captain. I've never believed in blissful ignorance," he said strongly.

"Does it look like I'm blissful?" quipped Captain Freeman.

"You look like everyone else in the government right now…content to let the chips fall where they may, regardless of the damage it might do," scolded Professor Xavier.

"You make it sound like we're being reckless," said General Grimshaw, "Everything we do has all our best interests in mind. This is one of those situations where we have to consider what would do the least damage. Without getting into sensitive details, the damage done by an assault on White Cell would exceed anything that happened to the Purifiers."

"Since when did doing the least harm equate to doing the most good?"

"Since you agreed to play by _our_ rules," replied the General, "This isn't cops and robbers. This isn't heroes and villains. The line between good and bad isn't just blurry. It's constantly shifting. If you really want to make this Mutant Monitoring Initiative work, you'll learn to accept that."

"I'm sorry, General. But rules or no rules, there are some things I cannot compromise," said Xavier, "If you're serious about trust, you'll learn to accept that as well."

It was clear that General Grimshaw wasn't going to change his mind. With that in mind, Xavier turned around and left the conference room. His stab wound was still festering, but it paled in comparison to the pain of frustration.

He placed so much trust in men like General Grimshaw. Now in the face of a potentially dangerous threat, these same men refused to do the right thing. For the first time, Charles Xavier wasn't in control of his own vision and that didn't sit well for a moment.

Captain Freeman watched Xavier leave with a touch of suspicion. He had come to know this man fairly well. Xavier wasn't going to let this go. He was going to do something drastic that would end up affecting them all.

"That man is going to be a hell of a problem, General," said Captain Freeman.

"I know," said the General flatly.

"What can we do about it?" he asked.

"There are any number of things we can do, Captain. In terms of what we _should_ do…well, that's another story."

* * *

 **District X – Sage's Quarters**

"Hank, will you please stop _seething_ already? You're starting to worry me in more ways than I can process," said a frustrated Sage.

"I'm sorry, my love. But not everyone has the luxury of turning off their emotions," said Hank as he hung upside-down over her desk.

"You're playing dirty and not in a good way. I'm ready to consider a telepathy-induced coma."

"Is that a threat or an offer? Because at this point, I'd welcome it," he quipped.

Hank casually jumped down from his perch and landed behind his lover. His expression hadn't changed since he barged in unannounced in a very foul mood. She had seen him worked up before, but not like this. For once, it didn't involve an experiment that had gone wrong or a mission that failed. It involved the very logistics that allowed him to do his job.

Sage had to keep her emotions turned off to prevent herself from screaming into her lover's ear. She could no longer focus on her latest District X reports. She had enough on her plate with dozens of upset mutants returning from Shaw Industries. In their frustration, they caused a fresh wave of unrest. Bishop, Multiple, Jubilee, and the Lights all worked to contain it. Her lover's mood wasn't making those efforts any easier.

"This is getting ridiculous, Hank," she said with a harsh scorn, "I get that you're upset about SWORD shutting down your MGH research. I am too. What I don't get is why you think fuming around District X will make a difference."

"I'm under no illusions that it will. Unfortunately, I've yet to formulate an appropriate way in dealing with this," said Hank distantly.

"I refuse to believe that a man as smart as you has such poor coping skills. Since when does Hank McCoy walk away from problems rather than solving them?"

"You think I didn't try? As soon as Abigail Brand left the lab, I got on the phone with General Grimshaw. I spoke with him for nearly three hours. His answers were always a variation of 'this has already been decided' or 'I'm not at liberty to discuss such matters.' I spent another nine hours calling everyone from the Secretary of Defense to the head of the National Science Foundation. _Nobody_ would budge."

"That doesn't mean you should storm off and throw a hissy fit," Sage argued.

"If you can surmise a means of swaying stubborn politicians and a mountain range of red tape, I'm all ears. These men that Charles placed so much faith in didn't just clamp down on MGH. They locked it away as if to will it out of existence!"

Hank's demeanor shifted from heavy frustration to solemn despair. He finally turned around to face his girlfriend, revealing that his anger was merely secondary.

"It's one thing to have an unsolved equation that I can't figure out. It's quite another to have bureaucrats come in and restrain me from solving that equation. You saw the data from my experiments. You know as well as I do the kind of good MGH could do for mutants and humans alike."

"I crunched the numbers multiple times. I know what we're missing out on," she said flatly.

"And if your emotions were turned on right now, would you be as upset as I am?" he inquired.

Sage paused for a moment, her stoic demeanor not changing. Even though her mind was as ordered as a computer, Hank could see all her infinitesimal subtleties.

"I will have to plead the fifth on that," she replied.

"Then I won't belabor the point," said Hank as he resumed his pacing, "Those possibilities aside, I feel as though we're missing out on a supreme opportunity. One that could eventually cost lives in the long run. I still remember vividly how I was at the mercy of my mutation in my younger years. I had nothing close to MGH. I was left to my own devices and it nearly destroyed me. Were it not for Charles Xavier, I would probably be in a zoo struggling to open a banana."

"So you still wish you had way to contain your mutation? One that allowed you all your ape-like agility minus the fur that keeps us both so warm at night?" said Sage with a touch of criticism in her tone.

"I'm not saying I would have it any other way, my dear," he said to her, "I'm just saying that it would have been nice to have a choice. Imagine a young mutant with a mutation that makes him look so inhuman that it's impossible to function. Imagine another mutant with an ability that could serve them well, but is either too weak or too volatile. With MGH, we could refine some mutations while regulating others. Unfortunately, this is a choice that many upcoming mutants are denied. It is the very crux of the conflict that the X-men have always struggled with."

"I would argue that you've done well with that struggle. Just look at what the X-men have done. Look at what _you've_ done."

"And I take pride in every one of those accomplishments," Hank went on, "However, this does not change one inescapable truth. The exploits of the X-men are finite. We can save every mutant in the world from themselves, but more will be born with each passing year. Sooner or later, time will catch up with us as it does everything else in our universe. That is why it is important that we not only understand mutation, but utilize a means of controlling it. That way mutants like myself could have a choice."

Hank fell silent again as he walked back to Sage's desk. Next to her computer were a stack of papers that he managed to salvage from SWORD. They weren't much. They were mostly test results and molecular scans for MGH. As he picked up these papers, his expression fell. He saw in them so much promise that would never be realized.

"MGH could have been the great equalizer. It could have established a means of dealing with mutants long after the X-men were gone," Hank went on, "With it, we could have mitigated the danger and maximized the benefits. We would no longer be at the mercy of forces we neither control nor understand."

"Sometimes there's a good reason why natural forces are so difficult to control," Sage argued.

"I don't doubt that some such as Sebastian Shaw would use such breakthroughs for their own benefit. That doesn't take away from the promise they offer. I thought the Mutant Monitoring Initiative was supposed to take such breakthroughs out of the hands of men like Shaw. Since it began, I've been preparing for something like MGH…a breakthrough that could permanently change the stakes in the human/mutant conflict. Then for reasons that defy all logic, the same authorities we trusted shut us down. It's as if they don't care if the conflict escalates."

"Just because they set MGH aside for now doesn't mean they'll revisit it," said Sage, "This may be a case of mankind not being ready for such a breakthrough."

"A part of me has been trying to convince the other parts that this is the case. However, the more I think about it, the more I realize that we can't afford to hold back out of fear."

"You make it sound so _apocalyptic_ , Hank. Are the times we live in really that bad?"

"If you saw the pictures from the massacre at Purity Church, you would not contest this notion," he told her, "Sebastian Shaw demonstrated that there are many sinister forces that will readily exploit mutation for their own means. If others besides Shaw can utilize MGH, then we're doing ourselves a disservice by censoring it."

"We still have the data, Hank," said Sage as she approached him from behind, "Even without government resources, there's still a chance that we could develop MGH."

"I think you underestimate the kind of resources the government has," Hank retorted, "As much as it pains me to say this, it may be the case that the very initiative we placed our faith in could be our undoing."

Sage was at a loss. She started to share some of Hank's frustration. He had always been a forward-thinking man. Looking down at the papers he was holding, she sensed the sheer vexation of not being able to move forward with this work. It weighed heavily on his mind and no amount of brilliance could resolve it.

Sage attempted to console her lover by wrapping her arms around his primal form. She sensed him ease somewhat within her grasp. He remained fixated on his MGH data. Moving forward from here would require both their considerable intellects.

"Now is not the time for excessive doubt, Hank," she told him, "There is still plenty of work to be done, with and without MGH."

"I know, my love," Hank sighed as he took her hand in his, "I suppose I'm just not fond of starting back at square one."

"We still have the data and a proof of concept with Jubilee and the Lights," she reminded him, "There are still plenty of questions left to answer. Namely why General Grimshaw and so many others in high places prefer not to pursue MGH."

"I've pondered that as well. Given my position under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, it may be a dangerous question to answer."

"That's never stopped you before," said Sage, throwing in a slight tease.

"Point taken. I wouldn't be an X-man if it did," he said, finally managing a slight smile.

"Then why don't we dig a little deeper? Preferably in more than one way," she said, adding some sensual undertone, "Just because you're disappointed doesn't mean you should stall your passions."

"I have no intention of letting them do so," assured Hank.

"Then prove it to me. You may be surprised at what you find."

Sage leaned over and turned his head so that he met her in a deep kiss. He finally turned away from his MGH papers. His caring and exceedingly patient girlfriend proved far more interesting. He could not find any flaws in her logic, as was often the case. He didn't have to start over again. He could keep digging. He was prepared to heed both her advice and her advances. Then the buzzer to her door rang out.

"Perhaps you could answer that another time?" Hank suggested, "It would give me a greater chance to give you the _proof_ you requested."

"I have my priorities, Hank. Right now, you're at the top of the list," she told him, "Besides, they can always hunt down Madrox. He's literally everywhere."

"As always, your logic enchants me…among other things."

The buzzer rang out again, but Sage and Hank continued to ignore it. The two lovers backed away from her desk and slipped into a more heated embrace. Their kissing resumed, this time with greater fervor. Hank was prepared to lead her to her bedroom where he could vent his frustration in a far more appropriate manner. They were only halfway there when a hail of gunfire erupted from the side of the door.

"Open sesame!" yelled a deranged voice.

The couple abruptly ended their embrace. Hank instinctively shielded his lover, watching as over a dozen bullets riddled the door. Once the doorknob was effectively rendered scrap, the door was kicked open to reveal two familiar figures.

"Was that _really_ necessary, Deadpool?" said a bemused Fantomex.

"If we're going to keep this fic PG-13, then hell yes!" grinned Deadpool as he casually twirled his guns before putting them away, "Besides, you know patience isn't high on my list of virtues."

"Well, it'll have to make a comeback from the looks of it," he said as he looked towards Hank and Sage.

Hank quickly took on a more aggressive demeanor. The last time they faced Fantomex, he abducted Sage and put her through a world of discomfort in a very literal sense. He wasn't about to let it happen again.

"Fantomex!" exclaimed Sage, "You picked a very _inauspicious_ time to seek me out again."

"I see you've even made a few inauspicious friends," he said with a threatening snarl.

"Dude, could you save the fancy words for an economics lecture? I get enough snooty shit from Pierre le Douche over here!" said Deadpool, gesturing towards his associate.

"Please…let's spare ourselves the exchange of insults. I would be more than happy to shoot Deadpool in the head a few times later as payment for the door," he told them.

"Just a few?" scoffed Sage.

"Hey! I'm standing here with guns of my own, you know," said Deadpool.

"We're not here to cause another raucous, as difficult it may be with Deadpool involved," he said, ignoring his partner's remarks.

"You're no fun. I'm gonna raid the fridge," said Deadpool as he walked off.

"We're here because we need your help," Fantomex went on, "I know given our history you're not inclined to trust me. However, recent events dictate we take such chances."

Hank and Sage remained apprehensive, even as Deadpool walked towards the kitchen. Sage stepped out from behind Hank's protection to confront the man that once tried to use her in a number of uncomfortable ways. She quickly reasoned that if he wasn't inclined to attack her, then he wouldn't be this direct. So with plenty of suspicion to spare, she confronted him with Hank remaining close.

"I'm never going to fully trust you," said told him outright, "The techno-organic sludge that flows in your veins ensures I'll always have a reason to doubt you."

"I don't need your full trust. I just need enough of it to help with a rather dicey situation," said Fantomex.

"Speaking of dicey, who the hell mixes fried onions with carrots? Where do you keep your cold pizza or half-eaten tacos?" shouted Deadpool from the kitchen.

"As you can see, I've been keeping busy lately. And not in the ways you might think," said Fantomex.

"If you're conferring with Deadpool, I would argue those ways are still suspect," argued Hank.

"Success! Ladies and gentleman, we have week-old Chinese food," said Deadpool.

"I rest my case," said Hank.

"There's a long, colorful story about how I ended up partnering with Monsieur Wilson," said Fantomex, "If I had time to explain it, I would. However, there's a much more pertinent story to be told regarding a recent scuffle in Russia."

"What kind of _scuffle_?" questioned Sage.

In response to her question, Fantomex casually lifted the upper part of his uniform. In doing so he revealed more than just the scars of the techno-organic material that gave him his enhanced abilities while preserving his life. He revealed a large set of scars that ran from his lower-right torso to his upper-left shoulder. It was a scar so deep that couldn't heal properly even with the help of techno-organic material. Furthermore, the scars looked like claw marks with which any X-man would be familiar.

"Those scars…" said Hank as he quickly drew conclusions.

"Are not what they seem," said Fantomex as he lowered his shirt, "They are a result of a recent clash where Deadpool and I got caught in the crossfire."

"To be fair, I did throw a grenade…or several," said Deadpool as he walked out from the kitchen with a carton of Chinese food in hand.

"It doesn't matter who shot at who," said Fantomex, "The Omega Family and the cunning individuals who gave me these scars were all after something. For all I know, they're still fighting over it because I managed to acquire it when I escaped."

Fantomex then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small glass container. He casually tossed it over towards Sage, who instinctively caught it. As soon as it was in her hands, she and Hank recognized it.

"By stars and garners…is that what I think it is?" gasped Hank.

"MGH! How is that possible?" exclaimed Sage, "I thought the MSA confiscated every last drop!"

"That's precisely why we're here," replied Fantomex, "I believe this is something you're familiar with. In addition to that container, Deadpool and I uncovered some very disturbing revelations. It would be in your interest and ours to help us seek them out."

"I smell a team-up!" grinned Deadpool.

Hank and Sage exchanged glances. Their whole conversation about digging deeper into MGH took on a whole new dimension. Fantomex and Deadpool might be the least deserving of their trust, but they might be onto something. It could end up leading them to some very important and quite possibly some very disturbing answers.

* * *

 **Xavier Institute – War Room**

Jean Grey had a knack/problem for letting her emotions get the better of her. If affected her powers, her relationships, and her role as an X-man. The Mutant Monitoring Initiative evoked many heightened emotions since it was enacted. She often struggled with them more than the others. In the days that followed the massacre at Purity Church, a new wave of emotions consumed her. Those emotions only grew as the X-men were ordered to end this mission before tying up some disturbing loose ends.

That order came as a shock for everyone. In the days that followed the massacre at Purity Church, the X-men scrambled for answers. At every step along the way, they were stifled by the authorities they were supposed to trust under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. It had gotten to the point where they could go no further without defying the government.

It put the X-men in a difficult position. So Jean took it upon herself to convene an off-record meeting with Ororo, Rogue, Remy, Betsy, and Piotr. It was a dangerous situation that could set a dangerous precedent and they couldn't afford to ignore it.

"How much longer do you plan on keepin' us here, Jean? We be going around in so many circles that Remy's startin' to get dizzy," said Remy as he casually leaned against a nearby wall.

"We'll stay as long as we have to. Beast didn't risk sending a triple-encrypted message to my laptop just to have us ignore it," said Jean strongly, sensing that the others were getting impatient with her.

"We've all read the same message, Jean. We all agree this is serious," said Ororo.

"Anything that brings Fantomex and Deadpool out from whatever wasteland they were hiding more than confirms it," said Piotr.

"Where we can't agree is what we're supposed to do about it," Ororo went on, "Our orders are as clear as a cloudless sky. We're to drop our investigation on Purity Church and focus on cleaning up what's left of Shaw Industries."

"I understand the order perfectly. What I don't understand is why you guys seem to be okay with it," said Jean.

"Who said we were okay with it?" said Rogue, "Ah agree. It stinks in every possible way, but it's getting too hot to handle. Especially if Fantomex and Deadpool are gonna start blowing things up."

"That's never stopped us before."

"Well this isn't _before_. This is _now_ ," said Betsy in a more serious tone, "The X-men can't go running around, poking their noses wherever they think trouble may lie. There are rules and protocol under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative."

"And you agree with them?" questioned Jean.

"I never said I did. That doesn't mean we can undermine it whenever it becomes an inconvenience. Maybe for this case, it's a problem. But try and look at the big picture. Is solving one crisis worth causing ten more?"

Jean and Betsy exchanged angry glares. They were on opposite sides of the spectrum here. Betsy was the daughter of a cop. She placed a much bigger value on law and order. That meant setting aside her outrage was easier. To her, working with the law meant respecting the law even if they didn't agree with it.

Sensing that Betsy wasn't going to budge, Jean turned towards the War Room computer and brought up the files that Hank and Sage had sent them. They were heavily encrypted and just looking at them may put them at odds with the MSA. For that very reason, Jean made sure everyone looked long and hard at them.

"You want to see the bigger picture, Betsy? Look at this!" said Jean, "Someone else besides Shaw has MGH. Hank and Sage tested the sample Fantomex gave them. It's the real deal. That means we're not the only ones who know about it. This could be where the White Cell connection comes in."

"This is also where General Grimshaw draws the line," reminded Piotr, "He'll take on men like Sebastian Shaw. He will _not_ take on White Cell."

"And aren't you the least bit curious why?" said Jean, "This isn't the first time they've shown their dark side. Have you all forgotten the role they played in the Genosha Exodus? You know, the one where they hijacked a _nuclear submarine_?"

"No need to remind us, sugah. That was pretty dang nasty and it could've been a lot worse," said Rogue.

"Exactly! So what if the incident at Purity Church was White Cell's way of finishing what they started?" Jean went on, "According to Hank, Deadpool and Fantomex encountered those masked assassins that slaughtered the Purifiers. They seemed pretty determined to keep every last drop of MGH for themselves. That makes them a prime candidate for that so-called partner that betrayed Shaw."

"I'll concede it makes sense. I'll even concede that the Professor is probably right yell at General Grimshaw for not digging deeper," said Betsy, "My problem is what you're implying we do behind his back."

"Is it really so unreasonable?" said Jean, "Deadpool and Fantomex gave us more than enough information to act on. Beast says they were able to escape the assassins. They even got a few leads on where their base may be."

"You be placing a lot of trust in those two, Jean," said Remy skeptically, "You sure they be deserving of it?"

"If they're wrong, they're assholes. No big deal. But if they're right, they may lead us right to White Cell's doorstep. This may be exactly what John Proudstar was trying to uncover before he died. The MSA sure isn't going to act upon it. They've made it clear that White Cell is too well-connected. So what besides bureaucracy is stopping us?"

Jean made some compelling points. The information from Hank and Sage seemed concrete. Deadpool and Fantomex had a lead on White Cell. If they followed it, they could piece together the intricate web that started with the Genosha Exodus and led them to Sebastian Shaw.

With the brutal massacre of the Purifiers still fresh in their mind, it seemed perfectly logical if not wholly necessary to follow this up. At the same time, there were obstacles that stood in their way.

"We're all on the same side here, luv. We should be investigating White Cell. We should be uncovering this elaborate conspiracy for what it is," said Betsy in a calmer tone, "However, we need to do it within the confines of the law."

"What good is the law if it leads to more massacres like the one in Purity Church?" questioned Jean.

"It goes back to that bigger picture I mentioned earlier," she explained, "Look at what we did with Shaw. Without the law, we would have just stifled his operation, harassed his henchmen, and maybe roughed him up. But with the law on our side, we had him arrested and now he's going to go on trial. That's not something the X-men could have done before and it's something we need to be able to do for future threats."

"I'm not saying we sacrifice that. I'm just saying that we do what X-men are supposed to do."

"But as X-men, aren't we supposed to obey the law?" added Piotr, "I've seen what happens when people try to take it into their own hands back in Russia. It tends to do more harm than good."

"He's right, Jean," said Betsy, "If White Cell is truly a problem, then let's convince General Grimshaw to change their minds. That way we don't just annoy the bastards involved with MGH or the Purity Church massacre. We actually put them on trial and impose a more official form of justice."

"You make it sound like that's even _possible_ ," scoffed Jean, "You heard what Professor Xavier said. He's tried repeatedly to convince the General that we need to investigate White Cell. At every turn, he's brushed it off."

"Which is why we need to keep trying," said Betsy, "It may not be the most efficient way, but it's the right way."

"But if it's too late and people start dying, how is that right?"

Betsy found it difficult to maintain her composure. Jean was right on a number of levels. Rogue, Remy, Ororo, and Piotr couldn't contest anything she was saying. There was no clear-cut line between right and wrong. This wasn't a matter of the X-men being the heroes they were supposed to be. It was a matter of them working within the restrictions that they willingly embraced as part of the Mutant Monitoring Initative.

Sensing that nobody was going to take this as seriously as her, Jean turned off the War Room monitor. Arguing like this wasn't getting them anywhere. This lack of unity within the X-men was unprecedented, but she wasn't about to let it stop them.

"I'll take your lack of an answer as proof that the X-men are slipping," she said bitterly, "I still remember when we never had to argue about confronting a threat. I already feel nostalgic for those days."

"Jean, please don't make too big a deal of this," coaxed Betsy.

"Yeah, we've got enough on our plate with Shaw as it is!" said Rogue.

"If you guys are content with listening to General Grimshaw and living in blissful ignorance, be my guest," said Jean as she stormed off, "Bear in mind that if we don't do something about it, then someone else will…someone like X-Force. Are you that willing to let our friends take this on by themselves? Even if they walked out on us, I'm not leaving them behind…no matter what the Mutant Monitoring Initiative says!"

"Jean wait…" said Betsy.

It was too late. Jean was already gone and no one short of Juggernaut could stop her. She was too upset to listen to reason. Rogue, Remy, Ororo, Piotr, and Betsy were left conflicted by her outraged sentiment. Moreover, the mention of X-Force reminded them that even if they didn't act on White Cell, that didn't mean that others wouldn't.

"This here mess ain't gonna clean itself," mused Remy, "Seeing as how her ex is in X-Force, Remy don't see her lettin' it go."

"Jean's pretty dang stubborn. Ain't no doubt about it," sighed Rogue, "Without Scott to calm her down, there ain't no telling what she could do."

"If she doesn't start using her frontal lobe more effectively, she could do serious damage to the Mutant Monitoring Initiative," said Betsy.

"So could White Cell," added Piotr.

"All the more reason to restrain her so we can focus on working the MSA over," said Betsy, "If X-Force gets involved, it'll add a personal stake to what is already ridiculously complicated affair."

It seemed inaction wasn't an option in this instance. Somebody had to do something. Jean Grey could do a lot of damage on her own, intentionally or otherwise. Betsy, Piotr, Remy, and Rogue exchanged glances, as if to dare one another to go after her. Being the former bearer of the Phoenix Force, she was dangerous to confront. After the silence lingered for a moment, Ororo stepped forwards.

"I'll go speak with her," said Ororo, "If nothing else, I'll try to calm her down before she makes any brazen moves."

"You're a brave woman, Miss Munroe," commented Piotr, "Perhaps we should get the Professor involved as well. He may be able to reason with her."

"I don't think reason is an appropriate measure here, Piotr. So we'll have to try another approach," said Ororo as she started following Jean.

"What kind of _approach_ are you talking about?" asked Rogue.

"I don't know yet, but we had best figure it out soon," she said as she left the War Room, "I have a feeling that whoever is involved will not wait for us to resolve this. For all we know, it has already escalated in a terrible way."

* * *

 **Boston – North Point Park**

Julian Keller paced anxiously while constantly checking his phone. The longer he waited, the more danger Laura faced against whoever had been brazen enough to abduct her. Clouds had since rolled in. A light rain was falling over Downtown Boston while thunder echoed in the distance. The North Point Park had since been vacated, making it a dreary yet appropriate setting.

It had been nearly an hour since he called Wolverine. His ear was still ringing from all the enraged yelling he had done upon hearing the news about Laura. When he finally settled down somewhat, he instructed Julian to meet somewhere private yet open. That way if the same people attacked again, they wouldn't have anywhere to hide.

It was a risky, unnerving experience. Julian still felt as though Sabretooth and those mysterious figures were close. He was not equipped to handle them and neither was X-Factor. The only one who had more incentive to find Laura than him was Wolverine.

"Where the hell is this guy?" he groaned restlessly, "There's no way it should take him this long!"

' _You really need to learn patience, Julian. I suppose that's a lesson I'll have to reinforce at a later time.'_

Julian clutched his head upon hearing a distinct telepathic voice in his mind. That kind of coarse, yet wry tone could only come from Emma Frost. He immediately scanned the area around him, noticing only a female figure in a heavy coat walking by with a large umbrella.

"Miss Frost? Where are you? Is Wolverine with you?" he yelled out.

' _You might want to lower your tone, Julian. If we hadn't thoroughly surveyed the surrounding area, we would all have billboard-sized targets on our backs.'_

"Wait…who's _we_?" Julian asked out loud.

At that point, Julian noticed the woman in the umbrella stop about fifteen feet from where he was standing. Upon taking a closer look, the woman raised the umbrella to reveal that she was Emma. She was easy to overlook because she wasn't wearing the overtly revealing outfits that endeared her to so many male students. It left Julian feeling a bit sheepish in addition to being vulnerable.

"I hope you're not missing too much class because of this, Mr. Keller," she said as she approached him, "I can appreciate your passion, but your inexperience could be a liability."

"This better not be another telepathic lesson," said Julian with growing suspicion, "I've never been good at those or surprise exams for that matter."

"It's no lesson, but it may qualify as one. Given the frantic nature of your distress call, you need to learn to control your emotions in a situation like this. It would make things much easier for myself and my team."

"Team?" he said curiously.

"That would be us, bub," came a voice from behind.

Julian instinctively shot around to see this team standing right behind him. Wolverine was with them along with Cyclops, Nightcrawler, Warpath, Domino, and Angel. They were all in their full uniforms, having appeared courtesy of Nightcrawler's teleportation. The young mutant was visibly startled. He looked towards Wolverine at first. Then he turned back to Emma Frost.

"Wolverine…Warpath…so it is true. You _are_ working with X-Force, Miss Frost!" said Julian.

"Don't look so shocked. Emma Frost has rarely been able to keep herself out of trouble," joked Angel.

"But I saw you teaching classes earlier this morning," exclaimed Julian, "Is _that_ a telepathic illusion? Are the memories I have of you giving me detention all false?"

"Settle down, Julian. I don't warp the minds of my students _that_ much," assured Emma, "Although you're giving me plenty of reasons to reconsider my limits."

"In other words, pick your jaw up off the floor and listen," barked Wolverine, "I'm already pissed that Sabretooth has Laura. I'd rather not take it out on your sorry ass!"

"Do as he says," said Cyclops in a calmer tone, "This is already a sensitive situation. Stoking Wolverine's temper is only going to make it worse."

Julian had to restrain himself under X-Force's harsh gaze. Emma Frost continued scanning the area, using her telepathy to ensure that nobody would contemplate eavesdropping on this meeting. The presence of rain and thunder added extra cover. X-Force continued scanning the area as well. There were any number of ways they could be attacked. They had to be ready for all of them.

"For what it's worth, ve're sorry ve kept you waiting," said Nightcrawler, "Ve actually arrived here over a half-hour ago."

"You're a teenage boy. You probably watch snippets of the news in between reality shows," said Domino, "You know that X-Force's status with the authorities is pretty iffy."

"That's why we had to show up early and survey the area," said Warpath, "We had to make sure that whoever attacked you and Laura wasn't looming around waiting for another shot. It was one of the first lessons I taught X-Factor. Know your surroundings before every battle."

"I feel used," muttered Julian, "You could have at least dropped me a hint or something."

"Given how much you were yelling earlier, you probably would have blurted everything out the first chance you got. Sorry, but I ain't gonna risk that. Not when Laura's involved!" said Wolverine.

The former living weapon didn't go easy on Julian. Even if he just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, he loomed over the young mutant apprehensively. He was already uncomfortably close to Laura. Then he managed to get her abducted. It did not make a good impression to say the least.

"Now if I remember your rambling, you said a bunch of dirt-bags in masks appeared outta nowhere and surrounded you. Then at some point Sabretooth showed his ugly ass," said Wolverine as he glared at Julian, "For the sake of your balls, that better not be code for screwing up and letting Sabretooth take Laura!"

"I swear that's what happened. There were ten of them. Maybe twelve," said Julian, not flinching under his harsh scold, "They were like robots or something. They even had claws like yours!"

"You sure you weren't seeing things, bub?" said Wolverine, drawing his claws to further reinforce his point.

"I swear it's true! That's when that Sabretooth grabbed me. He used me to get Laura to surrender without a fight," said Julian.

"And you didn't do shit to stop it?" snarled the former living weapon.

"That's enough, Wolverine," said Cyclops, pulling him back before he went too far, "He claimed he did all he could and I believe him."

"As do I," said Emma, who scolded Wolverine for threatening her student, "Julian's thoughts are as accurate as his words. From what I gather, he wasn't in a position to stop Sabretooth."

"I have the scars on my neck to prove it if you want to see," grumbled Julian.

"You're lucky that's all you have, kid," muttered Logan.

Cyclops pulled Wolverine back further. He wasn't helping their situation by taking his frustrations out on Julian. He was clearly worried for Laura. Their best bet for helping her was to piece this together.

"Scars aside, this may confirm what Mystique told us," said Warpath, "White Cell is making their move and they're playing the Weapon X card."

"White Cell and Weapon X?" said Nightcrawler, " _Zhere's_ a dangerous combination if ever zhere vas one."

"They also fit the description of that massacre at Purity Church," said Cyclops as he started making connections, "That classified report Emma extracted from the Pentagon came to a similar conclusion. Even if Weapon X isn't directly involved, White Cell may be utilizing what's left of them."

"Not that I ever cared for Reverend Stryker's adherents, but why would White Cell attack them and then go for Laura?" asked Domino, "If this is some kind of strategy, I'd say it's pretty fucked up."

"We should assume there's an underlying reason," said Warpath, "If they're as coordinated as Julian says, then this is definitely more than a couple of bad apples that Wolverine forgot to butcher."

"I don't care how bad they are. What's the plan for saving Laura?" asked Julian intently.

"Careful with that impatience of yours, Julian," said Angel, "Trust me when I say you _should_ care. Guys like Sabretooth and Weapon X are not to be taken lightly."

"We've dealt with people like this before. They have a way of hurting their targets in way too many ways," added Cyclops, "It won't be any easier given the current situation with the Mutant Monitoring Initiative."

"I haven't kept up with the whole X-men/X-Force dynamic and honestly, I don't care! If you guys are as equipped as I hope, then you already know how we're going to find her!"

"You wanna tone it down, you little punk? You're not even the most pissed off person here, so if you really wanna help Laura you'll…"

Wolverine froze in mid-sentence. His expression quickly changed and he started frantically sniffing the air around him. The rest of X-Force grew noticeably more alert as well. The fields around them were still vacant, even as the rain fell harder. Yet there was a distinct feeling of being watched.

"I know that look," said Cyclops, "You smell something, don't you?"

"Oh yeah…and it stinks to high hell," snarled Wolverine.

"I'm sensing it too," said Emma, who was also on alert, "There are some very troubled minds closing in."

"Already?" said Domino with a slight scoff, "And here I was thinking we would have time to swing by Fenway."

Once again, Julian was confused. He looked around and didn't see anything. He was starting to wonder if maybe this was another one of Emma Frost's mind games.

"Okay, I'll bite. What did I do now?" groaned Julian.

"Kid, we kind of have a confession to make," said Angel as he prepared his techno-organic wings for battle, "We had an ulterior motive for why we had you meet us here in an open place like this."

"You mean it _wasn't_ just to make me stand out in the rain?"

"Not entirely," said Cyclops as he adjusted his visor in preparation for battle, "You see, we suspected that abducting Laura wasn't just another elaborate way to piss Wolverine off. It was bait. Someone wanted to lure us out into the open."

"And guess what? It worked!" snarled Wolverine.

As X-Force took on an aggressive demeanor, a series of brief flashes appeared through the dreary conditions. From these flashes, a number of familiar figures emerged. Julian recognized them as the same masked figures that attacked him and Laura. Just as before, the figures surrounded them with swift machine-like efficiency.

In the process, they drew a set of claws that looked identical to Wolverines. They quickly closed in, ensuring that X-Force had no means of escape. In addition to the dark figures, another flash brought forth a more unique presence. This time it wasn't Sabretooth. It was an entirely different figure wearing what looked to be a cross between Wolverine's old X-men uniform and a ninja outfit. As soon as he emerged through the rain, Wolverine's eyes widened.

"You…I recognize that scent," seethed the former living weapon.

"You should," said the man from under a cloak, "My name is Daken. I have scent I hope you would appreciate. Part of it belongs to you."

"Damn, we just met this guy and already I know he's a dick," said Warpath.

"I take it zhis is another old associate of yours, Wolverine?" said Nightcrawler.

"None that I've met before," grunted Wolverine, "If his scent means what I think it means, then I would rather be facing Sabretooth,"

"Unfortunately, he chose to sit this one out," said the man, "He's enjoying the company of Miss Howlett at the moment."

"Laura! What did you do to her?" exclaimed Julian.

"It ain't gonna be half as bad as what I do to you!" roared Wolverine.

"Ooh, sounds fun! I'm always up for playing _rough_ ," said Daken snidely.

"Sounds like something you would say, Frost. Coming from a man, it's a lot more unsettling," commented Domino as she readied her guns.

"Amongst other things," said Emma as she shifted into her diamond form.

Then in a gesture that surprised everyone except Wolverine, Daken revealed his own set of claws. His were slightly different, having two come out from his knuckles and the other come out from his wrist. As took an aggressive stance, the ten cloaked figures did so as well in perfect harmony. With X-Force completely surrounded, they were ready to overwhelm them.

"I've been waiting for this a long time," said Daken with a sadistic grin, "Unlike Sabretooth, I don't have the patience to draw this out over a lifetime of meaningless bloodshed. I would rather confront it now as we near the very end!"

"The end? Bub, if you know Sabretooth in the slightest you know this shit doesn't end so long as I'm breathing!"

"I don't think you fully understand," said Daken, "When I say the end, I mean the end of _all_ conflict. To appreciate what it, my loyal associates here are prepared to fight you. Enjoy it while you can! For it shall be your last!"

Without even a gesture, the ten masked assassins attacked. X-Force responded just as quickly. The odds were stacked against them if they were surrounded so Cyclops cleared the way with a wide-arcing optic blast that knocked back three assassins. Using this window, X-Force went on the evasive.

"Spread them out, X-Force!" ordered Cyclops, "Take them down one-by-one!"

"If zhey're as tough as Wolverine, zhe odds are stacked against us," said Nightcrawler.

"Whine about odds on your own time. I'm going for pretty boy here!" said Wolverine, who immediately set his sights on Daken.

"Be my guest, Wolverine! If you're lucky, I'll save you a few!" said Domino as she took out her guns and started shooting.

Using the weather and the wide-open space to their advantage, X-Force quickly divided up the assassins. Angel took to the air while Warpath went for the direct approach, charging the first assassin he saw and striking him with an uppercut that would have taken the head off a normal man. Domino backed him up with a hail of gunfire, using a few well-placed shots to pin down the two other assassins that tried to harass Warpath. Cyclops focused on further wounding the three assassins he hit earlier, increasing the power of his visor to more lethal measures as these figures proved durable.

Nightcrawler and Emma Frost lingered around Julian, who didn't react as quickly as he needed to. The four remaining assassins tried to surround them and hit them with a claw attack. Emma used her diamond form to protect the young mutant while Nightcrawler teleported around, hitting each assassin with a series of acrobatic kicks.

"Whoa! I did _not_ plan on getting a haircut today," exclaimed Julian as he narrowly avoided decapitation from one assassin.

"Looks like we'll have to work on your combat skills as well, Mr. Keller. You're making yourself too vulnerable," said Emma as she made sure that assassin received a punishing kick to the groin.

"Go easy on him, Emma! Zhese guys are as quick as Wolverine," said Nightcrawler as he narrowly avoided getting cut himself.

"Quit babying me already! I can take care of myself," said Julian.

Already fed up with the adults belittling him, he used his telekinesis to unleash a wall of force that shoved back the three assassins that tried to attack Nightcrawler. He teleported out of the way just in time, allowing the three figures to go flying back as if they had been hit by a speeding truck. Again, they didn't wince or grunt. They were like drones and they proved to be quite reliant.

The assassins that Julian hit with his telekinesis landed right next to Warpath and Domino. Even though their limbs and uniforms were tattered, they stammered to their feet and fought back. Any wounds they incurred were already healing. Domino and Warpath were finding that out themselves.

"These guys are as durable as Wolverine too," said Warpath as he snapped the neck of an assassin for the second time.

"Maybe I should have brought a bazooka," commented Domino as she shot three bullets into the heads of two oncoming assassins.

Despite various bullet wounds, the assassins kept coming for Domino. She found herself backing away towards Warpath. Then one leapt into the air and pounced as if it were Wolverine on a berserker attack. Before he could reach Domino, Angel tackled him and mid-air and used his techno-organic wings to slice into his flesh. Even with half his torso ripped off, the assassin still tried to swipe at Angel.

"I don't know, Dom. These guys heal pretty damn well!" said Angel as he narrowly avoided, "Is it wrong for me to miss the Sentinels?"

"Healing or no healing, there's still flesh underneath that mask." said Cyclops, one of his optic blasts passing right by Angel as he flew by, "Go for the heads! They can't do much without a brain. Once neutralized, go for Daken!"

It seemed like a logical command. First, they took out the assassins and then they would surround Daken just as he tried to do with them. However, Wolverine wouldn't have it.

"Don't even think about it, Summers! He's mine!" snarled Wolverine, his feral anger focused entirely on Daken.

"It's hilarious how right you are," snickered Daken.

While the rest of X-Force seemed to be containing the assassins, Daken seemed to be playing games with Wolverine's attack. Whereas Wolverine launched a barrage of claw slashes and jump kicks, he remained evasive. He didn't attempt to counter or strike back. He only used his claws to block incoming slashes that he couldn't avoid.

He matched Wolverine in speed and agility, further frustrating the feral mutant. Daken even showed off a bit, doing back-flips to avoid one of Wolverine's lunge attacks and doing an almost graceful spin-move to avoid a stab thrust aimed at his neck. Such tactics quickly got under Wolverine's skin, but that wasn't the only thing fueling his rage.

Everything about Daken triggered all sorts of intense emotions within Wolverine. The way he moved and fought seemed all too familiar. He never met this man before, but he didn't evoke the same feelings that other shady figures from his past often did. This man was different. He seemed to know it as well and kept toying with him as if to tempt him with answers.

"You gonna keep playing ballet with me? Or are you gonna fight?" roared Wolverine as Daken did another nimble back-flip over him.

"Sorry, old man. I'm just having too much fun," taunted Daken, tangling his claws with Wolverine's as he tried to counter.

"There are easier ways to commit suicide, bub. But you ain't in it for the thrills! You know something and you're gonna make me beat it outta you!"

"What? You don't like a challenge?" he teased.

"Cut the bullshit! You don't go through the trouble of teaming up with Sabretooth and kidnapping Laura just to fuck with me," barked Wolverine as he tried to stab him again, "Tell me who you are so the real _fun_ can begin!"

Wolverine went for another stab attack again. This time, he struck Daken across the face, causing a long cut across his face. It shredded his mask as well, causing it to fall off. As it did, Wolverine got a full view of his face.

He had a somewhat exotic complexion with a mix of Asian and Caucasian traits. What stood out most was his hair. It looked like a uniquely kept Mohawk that was meticulously styled. Seeing him face-to-face evoked more mysterious emotions inside him because as he looked closer, he recognized something profound.

"Those eyes…I've seen them before," mused Wolverine.

"If only I had a nickel for every time that pick-up line worked," laughed Daken, "I'm told I inherited them from my mother."

"Your mother…" said the feral mutant distantly.

"Confused? Don't worry! I'm getting bored already. That means I can finally do _this_."

Finally, Daken launched an attack of his own. Wolverine quickly shook off his shocked state of mind to defend himself. He was able to deflect a stab attack from Daken's claws, but he failed to notice him retrieve a high-tech syringe with a familiar-looking red substance inside.

Just as Wolverine was about to counter, Daken did another back-flip to land behind the feral mutant. Before his feet even touched the ground, he injected the contents of the syringe into Wolverine's neck.

"Ack!" he gasped.

"Take it easy, old man. Fighting it only makes it worse," said Daken.

The area around the injection burned. Within seconds Wolverine felt his entire body stiffen. It was as if someone had hijacked his every muscle. He contorted wildly for a moment, trying to wrestle back control. It was no use. He was completely paralyzed.

Cyclops and Angel both noticed Wolverine's distress. Emma, Nightcrawler, and Julian had fought off the assassins around them as well. Warpath and Domino shoved aside the assassins that were still trying to stab them with Domino putting a few extra bullets in their head so she could join X-Force as they caught up with Wolverine.

"Wolverine! Please tell me that wasn't what I think it was," said Angel.

"Whatever you did to him, you just made the biggest mistake of your life!" shouted Cyclops.

"Oh relax, handsome. It wasn't MGH. It was something more _subtle_ ," taunted Daken.

"Either undo it now or we'll all beat you to a pulp in a very _unsubtle_ way!" said Warpath.

"You would be wise to listen," said Emma as she stayed close with Julian and Nightcrawler, "We just bested your durable friends here."

"I used to train vith Wolverine. You're not going to beat us vith cheap rip-offs!" added Nightcrawler.

"Oh please, do you really think it was their job to kill you?" laughed Daken, "Honestly, I'm insulted. I hoped you would give us credit for such a brilliant strategy."

"And who's _us_?" questioned Domino.

"What's so damn brilliant about these guys anyways?" scoffed Julian as he kicked one of the nearby assassins.

Daken kept smiling as he let the plan speak for itself. Shortly after Julian kicked one of the wounded assassins, the mysterious masks they were wearing lit up. All ten of the figures scattered across the field erupted with similar activity. The eyes and mouth areas of the mask started glowing brilliantly, so much so that it illuminated the falling rain around them.

"Add one more lesson for this kid, Frost. Teach him when to shut his mouth," said Warpath.

"Duly noted," said Emma, scowling a very sheepish-looking Julian.

"I knew it couldn't be _this_ easy," groaned Cyclops.

"And we haven't even gotten to the best part," grinned Daken.

X-Force remained on alert. In addition to the glowing, the masked assassins shot up and reorganized in perfect unison. The team prepared to fight them again, but this time they didn't attack. Instead, they formed a line in front of Daken and the paralyzed Wolverine. Then in a mysterious display, they interlocked their arms. When they did this, the light from their masks grew so bright that it consumed everything within a half-mile radius.

"Zhat energy…I recognize it!" said Nightcrawler.

"Fall back, X-Force!" exclaimed Cyclops.

"Run Julian!" urged Emma, trying to shove her student away from the danger, "Get away before…"

But it was too late. Before they could even turn around, X-Force was completely engulfed in the light. Cyclops, Angel, Nightcrawler, Warpath, Domino, Emma Frost, and Julian Keller shielded their eyes as it consumed them. They then felt themselves transported into the unknown.

Wherever they were going, Daken was grinning every step of the way. He had tricked them all. They now faced an uncertain fate with no hope of the X-men coming to their aid.

* * *

 **Up next: Crimes Against Inhumanity**


	14. Issue 162: Crimes Against Inhumanity 1

**Issue #162  
Crimes Against Inhumanity Part 1**

* * *

 _Professor Charles Xavier assembled a gifted team of young mutants to fight for peace and understanding in a world that hates and fears them. Using their extraordinary powers, they stand together in an increasingly chaotic world. However, that unity is now a distant memory. The X-men have become bitterly divided over the Mutant Monitoring Initiative that Professor Xavier himself formulated. There are now two teams, X-men and X-Force. They operated under very different circumstances and recently those circumstances have become more serious._

 _After the arrest of Sebastian Shaw, Professor Xavier and the X-men uncovered that the threat wasn't over yet. A major mystery remained. Who betrayed Sebastian Shaw and why? As they pondered this mystery, an old name re-emerged. The private military group, White Cell, has always been a bit of an enigma._

 _They've drawn suspicion from the X-men before. Former X-man, John Proudstar, used to work for them and before he died he believed they were up to something. Now they've been implicated in the recent massacre at Purity Church. But in a stunning development, General Grimshaw and President Robert Kelly have ordered the X-men to cease all further investigations._

 _Outraged, Professor Xavier braved a festering stab wound to confront the General to no avail. It has triggered unrest within the X-men, especially after recent revelations from Hank courtesy of Fantomex and Deadpool. While they struggle to formulate a plan, X-Force is already hot on White Cell's trail. However, in following that trail they ended up falling into a trap laid by a man named Daken. He's a man that has dark ties to Wolverine and those ties run much deeper than even he realizes._

* * *

 **Montreal, Canada – Several Weeks Ago**

"Hnn…Daken?" groaned a very tired and very naked Jean-Paul Beaubier, "If the clock reads any earlier than five, come back to bed."

"What's wrong? Did I wear you out last night?" said a far less tired Daken Yashida as he buttoned up his shirt.

"No, but some of us need more than three hours of sleep at a time," he said, his face now buried under a pillow, "Especially if we're to be effective in our job."

"Sleep is overrated and so are excuses," scoffed Daken, "Besides, you know the boss's policy about inter-office relationships. He encourages them."

"If this is a relationship, then it's too fast even for me."

Daken shook his head and chuckled at how weak Jean-Paul sounded after a night with him. It wasn't the first time they hooked up in their down-time at White Cell. In each instance, Jean-Paul failed to keep up with him. Despite his mutant speed and military training, he was rendered too human when he tried to match wits with Daken.

Jean-Paul groggily turned over and watched Daken fix his distinct hair-style in the mirror. He wasn't dressed in the same tight pants or stylish button-up shirt as last night when they hooked up. He was in his special custom-made uniform. He made it a point to stand out on a mission. It was like he wanted people to know who they were up against. That kind of bravado was appealing in some ways and annoying in others.

"You'll have to enjoy the afterglow without me," said Daken as he put on his mask, "I received a call last night. I have an important meeting with Sebastian Shaw at his Villa this afternoon."

"The boss has been giving you a lot of private missions lately. It doesn't help all those old rumors about him playing favorites with you," said Jean-Paul.

"Why shouldn't he?" shrugged Daken as he combed his hair, "I was one of the first operatives for White Cell. I've known the boss longer than any of you so why shouldn't I enjoy the privileges that come with it?"

"Therein lies the problem, Daken. You enjoy them _too_ much. Both on and off the battlefield, your talent for indulgence is only equaled by your ego."

"Since when does that bother you? I can't help it if my appetites are diverse. I've yet to meet a man who can satiate them all…or a woman, for that matter."

"You know, I used to joke about bisexuals being greedy and you're making that joke less and less funny," said Jean-Paul with a slight scorn.

"I never liked that term. Bisexual…someone who simply stopped caring about body parts and somehow _that_ makes them greedy," joked Daken, "I never forced you to sleep with me, Jean-Paul. Although, I certainly could have if I were so inclined."

"That doesn't bother me as much as the knowledge that you would probably get away with it," retorted the Canadian mutant, "You seem to forget that I didn't join White Cell just because the military doesn't take kindly to gay mutant men. I joined because I believed its principles. Nearly everyone else, human or mutant, takes those principles seriously. Yet you don't seem to care in the slightest."

"Maybe everyone else just cares too much," quipped Daken as he finished with his hair, "Or maybe it's because the boss makes himself known to me and so few others. Whatever the case, it doesn't matter in the long run."

"How do you figure? You think everyone will suddenly _not_ be annoyed by your attitude?" asked Jean-Paul.

"I'm merely assuming that White Cell's growth will ensure these petty grievances mean little in the long run. I would _love_ to go into details, but I sense you're tired and you need your beauty sleep. And I would hate to compromise that beauty."

Even when Daken made a compliment, it still came off as egotistical. Jean-Paul decided not to belabor this man's egotism. That was a mission that no soldier was equipped to handle. In his frustration, he buried his face on his pillow again. Daken had finished with his hair and was poised for whatever personal mission the boss had planned for him.

"Don't get too discouraged, Jean-Paul. You'll see there's purpose behind every mission. It's part of White Cell's motto," said Daken as he playfully trailed his fingers up Jean-Paul's back before heading towards the door.

"I don't need a lecture on White Cell's mission statement. Not from you and not at this hour," he said, his voice muffled in the pillow.

"It's worth remembering, Jean-Paul. There's meaning to everything. I just like to look good and have fun while doing it. Because when the fighting stops and the war is over, there will be plenty to celebrate!"

* * *

 **Unknown Location – Present Time**

Logan's feral rage had many sources. He was an angry man by nature. However, the line between anger and rage was vast. In between were all sorts of emotions that had nothing to do with anger. Along with those emotions, there were memories. Whenever Logan got caught up in his rage, some of those memories surfaced in ways that were both vivid and disturbing.

" _Logan-san…there's something we must discuss. It's important and it cannot wait."_

" _Can't it wait just a little, Mariko? Your old man seemed pretty pissed when he asked me to meet with him."_

" _I have no desire to keep you from him, but this matter requires that I pester you. It is something that will affect us in a profound way."_

" _Ain't no need to pester me, darlin'. You know I take it seriously when anything involves us. Just let me work this shit out and you can pester me all you want."_

" _Very well, my love. But please hurry. I can only contain my excitement for so long!"_

Through the dark haze that was his fragmented memory, Logan could see Mariko Yashida standing in front of him. He could see the glimmer in her eye as she eagerly embraced him. She was trying to tell him something imortant. However, this was where his memories entered uncharted territory. Before she could tell him, her image faded into the depths of Logan's mind.

"Hn…Mariko?" Logan groaned in a low tone.

"Not quite, but it's the next best thing," said a snide voice.

Logan opened his eyes to see Daken standing in front of him. More recent memories came rushing back to him. He recalled the fight in Boston. Daken and his army of shadowy assassins were on the ropes. Then they pulled some strange trick. The assassins unleashed this strange light and then everything became a blur.

Somewhere along the way, Logan ended up in some strange cell. However, it wasn't like a prison cell or a holding area at Weapon X. There were no restraints or bars. There were no heavy doors or armed guards watching over him. It looked like a normal room with brick walls, a small bed, a toilet, a sink, and no windows. Logan's first instinct was to get up and drive his claws into this man until he told him what had just happened. However, he was still paralyzed, lying on the bed flat on his back.

"You!" snarled Logan as his muscles barely twitched.

"Yes, it's me. The latest object of your rage. As if you don't have enough as it stands," said Daken dryly.

"I'm telling my body to rip you to shreds for all your bullshit, but apparently you found a new way to fuck with me! I get enough of that shit as well!" grunted Logan.

"Yes, well we can't have that volatile temper causing such a mess. I understand you've been known to leave quite a mark on anyone that dares to capture you."

"Then save yourself the trouble and turn off whatever the hell you did to me," said Logan, "If you do, I promise I'll make it quick."

"Now why would you want to do that? I was hoping we could spend some quality time together. You know, the kind that a _father_ is supposed to spend with his _son_ ," said Daken as he loomed over the paralyzed figure.

Logan growled upon hearing those words. For once, Daken didn't talk in a snide or condescending tone. He was dead serious, which almost seemed uncomfortable to him. That helped lend credibility to what he was saying. He was his son. A revelation like this usually triggered all sorts of chaotic emotions within Logan.

As this revelation sank in, Logan felt his body move on its own. He didn't know if Daken was controlling it or if someone else was pulling the strings. He rose from his bed and stood up before this ominous young man. Now looking at him eye-to-eye, Daken glared at him with emotions that had been decades in the making.

"You've had time to process my scent. You've looked me in the eye and you've seen the signs. I hope you'll skip the denial part so we can get to the heart of this matter," said Daken, his tone focused with a unique kind of anger.

"You think this is the most fucked up revelation from my past? Hell, this ain't even top five," scoffed Logan.

"So finding out you have a son with a lifetime of reasons to despise you isn't a big deal?"

"Of course it's a big deal! I don't hesitate in the middle of a fight unless it's a big deal!" barked Logan, "Your scent wasn't enough. It's your eyes that sealed the deal. I've seen them before, except they were on a beautiful woman that I used to love. Not some dirt-bag punk with bad hair."

"Well, now they're mine," said Daken firmly, "My darling mother was kind enough to impart them on me. It's a shame she never got to see them. You ended up slaughtering her before she ever got to hold me."

Now Daken was the one fuming with anger. Logan matched that sentiment every step of the way as he recalled the woman who once had those beautiful eyes. The image of her embracing him as she tried to tell him some important news played over in his mind again. That image was followed by a gruesome memory of him holding her bloody body in his arms. From here, the truth was obvious.

" _That's_ what she was going to tell me. She was pregnant," said Logan, "It was just before everything in the Yashida Clan went to Hell."

"And you didn't stick around to find out. It would've been pathetic if it hadn't nearly killed me," said Daken in a cold tone, "That dead body you held in your arms had company. I was still in her womb, underdeveloped yet still alive. You could have stayed longer, tied up all the loose ends, and made sure you left nothing behind. But you _didn't_."

"Kid, if you're gonna hold a grudge against me for not even knowing you existed, that's a damn lousy reason," barked Logan.

"As if causing the death of my mother isn't valid enough," Daken retorted, "But that's not my only reason for resenting you. Our family issues go much deeper than that."

Daken took a step closer to Logan so he could look him in the distinct eyes that so reminded him of Mariko. The bitter resentment soon gave way to a more serious demeanor.

This was both personal and logistical for him. Daken had plenty of reasons to seek out his father years ago, if for no other reason than to honor his dead mother. However, he was not like his father in one key aspect. For him, vengeance wasn't enough to justify a moment like this. There had to be something greater at stake.

"Just look at yourself, father. Look back through those broken memories of yours. Let them tell you about the kind of man you are," said Daken in a scathing tone.

"Bub, if you even understood half the memories I got floatin' around in my head, you'd know what a dumb ass question that is," quipped Logan.

"I know more than you think. I know where you've been, who you've killed, and how you've conducted yourself," Daken went on, "You have all the trappings of a monster, but I don't believe in monsters. I only believe in pitiful men who follow their anger, negating every other passion along the way, unless it's convenient."

"You trying to lecture me? Because if you really are my son, then you got the roles ass backwards."

"If not your son, then who else?" Daken retorted, "Who else could point out what an _inept_ man you are? You reflect the absolute worst of our family. You fight endless personal battles in both the past and present, never truly realizing the kind of damage you leave behind. And for what? Has it brought you peace?"

"Depends on your definition," snarled Logan.

"Seeing as how you haven't stopped fighting, I'll take that as a no," snorted Daken, "In many ways, you're a metaphor for the world as we know it. Every day there's more needless fighting. People like you simply refuse to move forward. You just wallow in your anger. If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result, both you and the world been certifiably _demented_ for centuries."

"Is there a point here, kid?"

"Perhaps not, but unlike everyone before me I'm prepared to do something about it."

Daken backed away from Wolverine and walked over to the door. He then gave it a hard pound with his fist, signaling whoever was on the other side to enter. The door swung open to reveal Sabretooth and Laura. Logan grunted in anger at the sight of Sabretooth being anywhere _close_ to Laura. However, he noticed something different. Like him, they didn't seem to have control over their own bodies.

"Heya, old buddy," said Sabretooth snidely, "I see they stuck you with that annoying drug too."

"Sabretooth! Only you could make a shitty situation like this stink worse," barked Logan.

"Consider yourself lucky. If your fruity little bastard here hadn't stuck me with a needle, these walls would be painted with your blood by now."

"You deserve to stuck with much worse," said Logan, "I swear if you so much _grazed_ my daughter, I'll…"

"It's okay, Wolverine. He didn't," said Laura, who was in a similar paralyzed state, "Although he certainly tried. He thought he could rough me up before you arrived. That's when Daken injected him with the same drug he injected into me."

"Seeing as how none of you can control your violent impulses, I figured it was necessary," said Daken.

Logan's expression tensed as much as it could in his paralyzed state. More pieces fell into place. Daken and whoever else was behind this elaborate operation wanted the meat of the Weapon X program. Laura was bait. Sabretooth was a puppet that didn't notice the strings until it was too late. His presence was sure to complicate thingg.

"Here's some fatherly advice, kid. Hiring Sabretooth ain't ever necessary," said Logan, "He'll screw you over and smell like shit every step of the way."

"Why you…" grunted Sabretooth, only to be cut off by Daken.

"That's enough, you two. Somebody should have said that to you _decades_ ago," he said, "You may not be able to handle Sabretooth, but we can. So long as you promise him a chance at tormenting Wolverine, he'll agree to anything. As it just so happens, we need him as well as X-23."

"I told you not to call me that. My name is Laura!" barked Laura.

"You're lucky you can identify with _any_ name. I could have just let Sabretooth do what he wanted with you," quipped Daken, "Like any animal, he simply had to be tamed."

"Kid, as much as I hate Wolverine, I'll gladly spare some for you," snarled Sabretooth, "You and that asshole boss of yours are gonna pay!"

"What boss?" questioned Logan, "Tell me who's pulling the strings in this joint. That way I know who to stab when this drug wears off."

"That's where the insanity I mentioned earlier comes into play," said Daken as he turned back towards Logan, "Someone goes through the trouble of putting you all in the same room, having to resort to exotic drugs to ensure that you behave. Yet again, your first inclination is to stab each other. You're not even the _least_ bit curious on how and why of this endeavor."

"There ain't much to understand," scoffed Logan, "The story never changes. Some asshole wants a few meat puppets to do their dirty work. Why should I expect anything less from this shit?"

"Because this is different, James Howlett…very different," came an ominous new voice.

The whole room fell deathly silent. Logan, Sabretooth, and Laura felt their bodies moving again. Despite their ardent resistance, they turned around and stood side-by-side to greet a powerful new figure. Even for former living weapons, it was a presence that struck them in a profound way.

The figure was a man that stood an imposing seven feet tall. His whole body was heavily muscled, covering a broad form that rivaled even Sabretooth. He wore a large cloak that covered a body suit not unlike the one Daken wore. As he pulled back his cloak, he revealed a face that bore a striking similarity to Logan.

He had the same wild hair and burly complexion except most of his hair was gray. Also like Logan, he had a very feral demeanor. His penetrating eyes implied they had seen many battles. As he looked down at the three paralyzed figures, they all growled defiantly. Daken grinned at their resistance as stood beside the imposing man.

"That voice…I've heard it before," said Logan, feeling more old memories surface from the depths of his mind.

"Me too!" grunted Sabretooth, who experienced something similar.

"It's good to know your memories aren't _completely_ damaged," said the man, "You'll definitely want to remember what you're about to become a part of."

"To hell with being part of this shit!" barked Laura, struggling harder against her paralysis, "Who the hell are you!"

"That is not an easy question to answer," said the man as he approached the three former living weapons, "I've gone by many names. Some have called me Night Wolf. Others have called me the One Man Army. Most know me as Romulus, the founder and visionary of White Cell. However, a select few have even called me the Mentor."

"Mentor," mused Logan, "So it _is_ you. You're the guy that trained Team X."

"That is only a small part of a _much_ larger story," he said, "It is a story I hope to finally end soon. I'm glad to see that Daken has succeeded in the first critical step."

"I'm sure you had no doubts, honorable grandfather," said Daken proudly.

"Grandfather?" exclaimed Logan as it quickly dawned on him, "That means…"

"Yes James," said Romulus, "I am your father. And today, the true purpose of Weapon X shall finally be revealed."

* * *

 **Uzbekistan – One Week Ago**

"YOU TWO SCOUNDRELS ARE GOING TO DIE A THOUSAND PAINFUL DEATHS!" exclaimed an enraged Darkstar as she unleashed a torrent of energy bolts.

"Spoken like my last five ex-girlfriends. At least she's saying it with her clothes on," shrugged Deadpool as he returned fire with his guns, "And we weren't even the ones to started blowing stuff up this time."

"Would you refrain from making excuses, Wade? I need you to focus entirely on shooting while I take care of this," said a focused, yet frustrated Fantomex.

"Well whatever this is, take care of it fast. I love sticking it to Omega Red in a completely non-sexual way, but this is pushing it!"

Gunfire reigned in every direction. Explosions could be heard for miles around. In between those explosions were the angry yells of Russian hit-men, Uzbekistani soldiers, and any other thug Omega Red could recruit. Caught in the middle of this carnage was Fantomex and Deadpool.

Having already provoked Omega Red with the debacle in Panama, Deadpool continued harassing his old nemesis in whatever way he could for however much money he could amass. His new partnership with Fantomex had paid significant dividends. However, they would have to pay more if they were to escape.

It started off as a simple stake-out of a secret Omega Red shipping route. It turned into a full-scale assault on an armored train that ran through the rugged terrain of Uzbekistan. Omega Red went through a lot of trouble to secure a package. Naturally, Deadpool and Fantomex were curious to see what this package entailed. They were unpleasantly surprised to discover that this shipment was of great significance to Omega Red.

He had Darkstar and an army of his top thugs guarding it. They managed to fight their way into the armored car that contained the package, which was in a heavy safe. After taking out most of the men guarding it, Fantomex focused on opening the safe while Deadpool dealt with Darkstar's reinforcements.

"Get to the safe! Secure the package or Omega Red will have our balls!" shouted an Uzbekistani soldier from the adjacent train cart.

"He'll have more than that if those two get away with it," said one of Omega Red's Russian lieutenants.

"Forget about collateral damage!" said a higher-ranking enforcer, "Blow those masked freaks up along with the damn train! Just get that package!"

"Well since you asked nicely…" said one of the larger thugs wearing combat gear.

With Darkstar still firing wildly from above, the thug braved incoming gunfire from Deadpool to move further up in the passenger cart. Once he took cover behind another seat, he retrieved two grenades from his belt. Upon pulling the pins, he roughly heaved them over to the armored train cart ahead of them.

"Incoming! Not a joke this time!" said Deadpool, his eyes widening beneath his mask.

"Still not laughing," said Fantomex flatly.

With the grenades still in mid-air, Fantomex turned away from the safe for a moment. With lightning-fast reflexes, he took out his guns and fired several shots. He managed to hit both grenades when they were halfway towards their cart. It not only deflected them. It sent them flying back into the cart where Omega Red's henchmen watched in horror.

"You stupid mother…" began one of the Omega Red lieutenants.

"Hey! We're owned by Disney now so watch your language!" said Deadpool.

"FALL BACK!" yelled an Uzbekistani captain.

The whole train cart descended into chaos as the two grenades landed. They exploded within seconds, rocking the train and engulfing several of Omega Red's thugs. It effectively quelled the incoming gunfire from Omega Red's henchmen. It also promised to bring in more reinforcements.

"Whew! Nice shooting, Frenchie. John Wayne would be proud," said Deadpool as he reloaded his guns.

"Spare me your American pseudonyms for once. We're still on a moving train that Darkstar is intent on derailing," Fantomex reminded him.

"Ah come on! It's not the worst bind we've been in. Omega Red is just shooting for overkill like he always does when he's pissed," scoffed Deadpool.

"He may have a valid reason this time," said Fantomex, maintaining a serious tone, "While you were busy making Old West references, I managed to open the safe. I believe I've found what Omega Red has deemed important enough to protect so ardently."

Fantomex held up what he retrieved from the safe. It didn't look like much. It was just a simple canister with glowing red liquid inside. Deadpool was hardly impressed.

"Seriously? _That's_ it?" he scoffed, "I was thinking he was guarding some weapons grade plutonium or the good version of the Star Wars: The Last Jedi. What the hell is so special about tiny bit of cool-aid?"

"It's actually what I expected," said Fantomex as it looked at it closely, "It seems to confirm that generous tip we beat out of Omega Red's henchmen. They're still trying to screw Sebastian Shaw over for the Panama deal."

"Aw come on! That can't be the only reason," said Deadpool, "Omega Red never does anything half-assed. There has to be something more to that shit to justify me wasting so many perfectly good bullets."

As soon as Deadpool finished saying that, their train cart was overrun by a new swarm of figures. This time they weren't Omega Red's men. In brief flashes of light, imposing men in black suits with masks appeared in what looked like some sort of teleportation power. They quickly surrounded the cart, setting their sights on Deadpool and Fantomex. When they drew sets of familiar-looking claws, the two mercenaries realized that this was bigger than Omega Red.

"I hate it when you're right, Wade," groaned Fantomex.

"That makes two of us," said Deadpool as he took out his katanas.

From above, Darkstar flew in lower. She also recognized the figures. Omega Red had warned her about this. Deadpool and Fantomex had no idea what they just incurred.

"You fools! You should have had the good sense to die!" yelled Darkstar, "You're only dooming yourselves and the Omega Family!"

"You only pose more profound questions," said Fantomex as he prepared to defend himself against these new threats, "We may have to dig much deeper for the answers."

"Dig all you want, buddy!" said Deadpool as he prepared for battle as well, "If it's all the same to you, I would like this flashback to end early. This is sure to get messy and hurt like hell."

* * *

 **District X – Present Time**

Sage scrutinized every detail of Fantomex's story. While he was telling her about the elaborate lengths they went through to escape Uzbekistan, Hank was hard at work scrutinizing the sample of MGH that he gave them. Their story along with the sample proved to be a treasure trove of information. Whether by intent or accident, Fantomex and Deadpool had provided them with their most vital information.

"So you managed to escape both Omega Red _and_ these mysterious assassins in one piece?" said Sage.

"You sound both skeptical and impressed," said Fantomex coyly.

"It's mostly skepticism," she said in a more serious tone, "I assume that part about riding a bus full of Swedish cheerleaders was an embellishment."

"Deadpool said that. Not me," said Fantomex.

"Hey! I can dream, can't I?" said Deadpool, who had nearly cleaned out Sage's refrigerator, "After the beating we took by those Wolverine rip-offs, the universe ought to give us a reward involving Swedish cheerleaders."

"That's debatable," said Sage, not amused by Deadpool's attitude, "I'm more interested in the reason why Omega Red went to so much trouble to protect that sample. Was he trying to protect it from you two _or_ those assassins?"

"Assume it was the assassins," said Fantomex, "As much as we've done to harass Omega Red, he doesn't consider us his most pressing enemies."

"Although we're hard at work on reading the top of his shit list," said Deadpool as he finished off some leftover chicken, "We _have_ to be at least top five. We've screwed up so many of his operations."

"But none as important as this," said Fantomex, "Omega Red has a history with Weapon X, as I'm sure you already know. After _extracting_ some information from his associates, we surmised that he uncovered some clandestine activity. It started as a simple effort to undermine Sebastian Shaw's MGH operation. Somewhere along the way, he found out that there was a much darker hand involved."

"That would be White Cell," said Sage strongly.

"So it would seem," said Fantomex, "Which is where that sample comes in. We brought it to you because it may be the key to finding them."

"If it just so happens that there's a connection between Weapon X and these White Cell guys, that's all the reason I need to blow them up," added Deadpool.

Sage had many reasons not to trust Fantomex. Deadpool could hardly be taken seriously to begin with. However, their story fit the elaborate puzzle that she and Hank were piecing together.

The betrayal of Sebastian Shaw was just a prelude. Someone either using White Cell or running them from the top used him to develop MGH. Now that Shaw had gone down, that someone was trying to tie up loose ends. That meant acquiring every last bit of MGH. It seemed so logical. The only thing they were lacking at this point was a reason.

Sage let Fantomex's story process in her computer-like brain for a moment. She continued studying the masked man, trying to ignore Deadpool's horrible manners when it came to eating her food. Fantomex still had his shirt off, displaying the claw marks on his chest that had yet to heal. He was playing off her and Hank's desperation for answers. If there was any truth to what he and Deadpool were saying, then they had to follow it.

"You're placing a lot of trust in me, Fantomex. I'm tempted to remind you that you once abducted me against my will," she pointed out.

"You hear that, Frenchie? She's _tempted_! That's a good sign, right?" said Deadpool with a friendly nudge.

"Do us both a favor and continue stuffing your face with food, Wade. Temptation is not always the butt of a lurid joke," said Fantomex as he matched Sage's cold gaze.

"You're no fun. Got any pop tarts in this joint?" he said as he returned to the kitchen.

Deadpool slipped away, leaving Sage to confront this man that in many ways she was responsible for. He still had the techno-organic material that she created flowing in his veins. The potential for danger was too great, even for her mind to calculate.

"Ignoring my partner's poor table manners, I feel it's only fitting that I place my trust in you, Tessa," said Fantomex.

"It's Sage now. Call me Sage," she told him sternly.

"To me, you're Tessa. You'll always be Tessa. EVA made quite an impression on the subject and I can still see her in your eyes."

"If this is your way of getting me to trust you, quit while you're ahead and I _might_ not throw you out the window."

"Hate me all you want for what I did. It won't change the truth," Fantomex went on, "You see, after the unfortunate incident with the World, your influence still guides me. I'm a soldier by trade and by nature. Like any soldier, I need a mission and for reasons that aren't wholly unreasonable, I found myself on a crusade against Weapon X."

"And you think teaming up with Deadpool is a reasonable means to conduct that mission?" said Sage skeptically.

"Say what you will about him, but he has the same incentive to undermine Weapon X as I do. As you can see, they've worked him over in ways that makes me feel lucky."

"My ears are burning. And it isn't just because of the grenade I took to the face," said Deadpool from the kitchen.

"I rest my case," said Fantomex, maintaining a serious tone, "All the while, a part of my mind remained fixated on you. No matter what I did, the techno-organic material that now flows through my body ties me to you. I don't fully understand it, but it still _compels_ me to seek you out."

"Coming off as an obsessive stalker does _not_ help your case," she told time.

"If only I had a nickel for every time I…" began Deadpool.

"Keep eating, Wade. I'm not done yet!" shouted Fantomex, starting to tense under such scrutiny, "Make no mistake, Tessa. I don't like this connection any more than you. However, I _despise_ Weapon X and all those affiliated with it even more. They're the ones that did this to me. Not you. Now I suspect that White Cell may have a heavy hand in Weapon X. It may run much deeper than even your mind can comprehend. I don't care if you despise me. However, that substance that I took these scars for is my only link. If it leads me to the heart of Weapon X, at least help me find it so I can rip it out."

He sounded less like an obsessed stalker and more like a soldier. It was easy to forget that behind the techno-organic substance, he was still Jean-Phillipe. He was a soldier with an enemy in his sights. He had just as much incentive to find Weapon X as anyone else. The scar on his chest was tangible proof that there was a Weapon X element to this affair.

While Sage carefully analyzed this man's ever word, Hank was hard at work studying the sample. He had to distract himself from the knowledge that Fantomex was hopelessly obsessed with his girlfriend. He was prepared to attack him the moment he made Sage too uncomfortable. However, the data from the sample proved more vital.

"I don't mean to complicate this _immensely_ awkward situation, but it appears that Fantomex's suspicions may be correct," said Hank from Sage's lab, "Please note that I take no pleasure in saying that."

"Tell me you found something, Hank," said Sage, not taking her gaze off Fantomex.

"Indeed I have," he said as he looked through a scanning microscope, "I can see why White Cell and Omega Red would deem this sample of MGH so valuable. It has a number of refinements we didn't see in the MGH samples retrieved from Shaw. I suspect this sample is actually an undiluted prototype."

"Please skip the science part of your explanation, Mr. McCoy. Explain to me why my suspicions are correct and I promise I won't rub it in," said Fantomex.

"Well since you asked _politely_ ," said Hank dryly, "As you'll recall, the final incarnation of MGH that Jubilee and the Lights took had a unique property. In addition to enhancing their powers, it created a hive mind…one that Shaw thought he could control."

"We already proved him wrong in that regard," said Sage, "Does this either reinforce it or complicate it?"

"A little of both," he answered, "Based on molecular scans and mutagentic analysis, this sample appears to be a sort of psionic catalyst. It is the specific component of MGH that creates the hive mind. It does this by flooding the brain with a series of neuro-chemical proteins that establish a telepathic link that feeds into every higher brain function. This undiluted sample is so concentrated that it could probably go beyond merely influencing thoughts. It could directly control an individual's motor functions."

"I thought I asked politely to skip the science part," said Fantomex dryly.

"I'm afraid it cannot be skipped," said Hank, "I mention this link because as a result, it acts like an antenna of sorts to receive telepathic signals. Think of it as a receiver for a remote control."

"It sounds like Weapon X in its simplest form," said Sage, "Using simple brain chemistry to control mutants."

"I'll add that to my list of reasons for wanting to destroy them," said Fantomex.

"As if we need any more," said Deadpool as he returned from the kitchen, "You got any more hot sauce, by the way?"

"There's more," said Hank as he printed out a sheet of data.

"Where? I can't eat leftover noodles without hot sauce," said Deadpool.

"I was referring to the sample. Not Sage's pantry," said Hank as he grabbed the sheet of data, "This undiluted prototype is still active. These latest scans indicate that the neuro-transmitters are still receiving psychic signals from an outside source."

"What kind of signals?" asked Sage as she looked over the print out, "Could I possibly influence it with my telepathy?"

"I don't think so. Like a radio stuck on one particular station, this chemical cocktail is attuned to only one telepathic signal. No one, not even Charles Xavier, can influence it."

"So it's like a radio stuck playing country music? Oh the horror!" said Deadpool.

"I'm hope your assessment isn't as pessimistic as it sounds," said Fantomex impatiently.

"If you took the time to analyze data every now and then, you may find the hope you're looking for," said Hank, still apprehensive towards Fantomex, "Try and apply a little logic. If the prototype is still receiving signals, then that means said outside force is still broadcasting. If it's capable of reaching this sample, then it may be strong enough to trace."

"It may also explain how White Cell was able to betray Shaw," added Sage, "By sending out a psychic signal that overwrote the Wyngarde sister, it effectively broke his hold on them. If it was tuned to only the chemical components in this substance, then it was probably too subtle for Cerebrum to detect."

"That's because neither Charles nor any other psychics knew to look for it," Hank concluded, "Now we know there's a signal to be found. If we're able to trace that signal, it may lead us right to White Cell's doorstep."

It was as promising a lead they could hope for. Whether by skill or luck, Fantomex and Deadpool found something. The puzzle was almost complete. They knew White Cell had betrayed Sebastian Shaw and now they knew how. As a result, they had a way to find out where this madness was coming from. The only remaining question was why.

That promised to be the most difficult question to answer. White Cell didn't have to betray Shaw. They could have exercised great power with something like MGH under their control. Yet once Shaw finished his work on the drug, they took back the substance that had such incredible promise. The presence of the psychic signal indicated that they were still active. They clearly had a plan of sorts. The only remaining step was to find them and uncover the full truth.

"Well as someone who barley passed fifth grade biology, I'm convinced," said Deadpool as he finished his meal, "You guys say we can hack their psychic caller ID? I'm game!"

"I assume it's not as simple as it sounds," said Fantomex with folded arms, "If you're correct, how do we go about tracking the signal to the source?"

"Therein lies the problem. It _is_ as simple as it sounds," sighed Hank as he set aside the data, "Tracking the signal is fairly simple with Cerebrum. It may take a nominal psychic several scans over the course of a few days. It could happen much sooner if Charles Xavier fully dedicated his telepathic talents to this endeavor."

"And why wouldn't he? Doesn't he have a keen interest in stopping White Cell?" asked Fantomex.

"He most certainly does. Unfortunately, the Mutant Monitoring Initiative requires that we cooperate with the authorities on all our endeavors. Those same authorities have decreed that we are not to attack White Cell, nor are we to investigate MGH any further."

"Well I've never been one to respect the law or the Ten Commandments for that matter, so why should _that_ be a problem?" shrugged Deadpool.

"Not everyone has the luxury of reckless disregard for propriety, Mr. Wilson," said Hank sternly, "The X-men are supposed to be law-abiding heroes, even when the law becomes perverse. Even if we told Charles about this, he would not be in a position to do anything. He would completely undermine the initiative he worked so hard to create, thus as much damage as White Cell in terms of mutant relations."

"And there's no means of working around it? Come now, with your collective brilliance it would be an insult if you couldn't surmise a way," scoffed Fantomex.

Sage and Hank scorned Fantomex for being so petulant. He didn't even try to understand the implications. He expected the X-men to compromise their fragile status with the government so they could go after White Cell. With plenty of lingering animosity, Hank took the data sheet back from Sage and made his way back to the lab area.

"I never said there was no working around it. I only said it would be difficult," said Hank, "I'm going to call Jean Grey and see if she can't work something out with Cerebrum. With some careful coordination and a little luck, no one has to know what we're doing."

"Ooh, going behind the government's back? I like! I like!" said Deadpool in a mischievous tone.

"Are you sure Jean is up to this, Hank?" asked Sage, "I thought her powers took a substantial hit when the Phoenix Force went silent."

"She'll have to find a way to compensate," said Hank as he opened up a secure line to the Xavier Institute, "She's the only one in the X-men that's as intent on finding White Cell as we are. Moreover, she's willing to undermine the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. Like it or not, the only way to uncover this betrayal is with a little betrayal of our own."

"Seems more or less appropriate," shrugged Fantomex indifferently, "Just make sure she understands the urgency of this matter. The sooner we can snuff out another relic of Weapon X, the better."

* * *

 **Unknown Location – World War II**

"Errrrrrrrrrr! Enough already!" groaned James Howlett through a world of agony, "I can't…"

"No James. You can and you _must_ ," said a cold tone, "Otherwise the pain will never stop. I shall see to it."

The harsh words of his mentor ensured that James would not escape this torment out of mercy. He would either fight his way out or continue suffering. Such was the heart of all Team X training. As the Mentor's prized pupil, he was singled out for the most intense training. It was the kind of training meant to strip away all reservations about killing. When consumed with so much agony, that threshold was non-existent.

The Mentor always had creative ways of honing one's killer instinct. This was by far his most elaborate. In a large cage that had been taken from a nearby zoo, James was stripped naked and locked inside with a pack of six hungry wolves. The Mentor shot them up with rage-inducing drugs for good measure. With nothing but his bare hands, he was expected to survive.

Even with his healing, that proved difficult. The wolves had already gashed his body repeatedly. Now covered in blood with nearly his entire left arm reduced to bone, he was on the verge of collapse.

"Look at them, Wolverine," said the Mentor from outside the cage, "These animals don't hide from their nature. When faced with a threat, they attack without mercy. The only way to defeat them is to match their ferocity."

"Hnn…kind of hard when I can barely stand," said James as the wolves surrounded him in preparation for another attack.

"Only a man stands in preparation to be eaten. For this, you must cease to be a man and become the Wolverine!"

James kept panting harder, trying to block out the pain and weakness. With his legs threatening to give out, he looked around at the hungry wolves as they closed in. They were growling with feral intensity, showing their teeth as if to prepare him for more pain.

It was too much. He refused to become lunch for these rabid creatures. The man in him had already been weakened from the Mentor's training. The only way James Howlett was going to escape this was as Wolverine.

As the growl of the wolves intensified, James let out a growl of his own. The man in him had succumbed, but the Wolverine had not. With a feral determination of his own, James draw his boney claws. Then as the first wolf pounced in for an attack, he met it in mid-air and slashed its throat without mercy. Fueled by this burning bloodlust, the bloodied form of James Howlett launched a brutal attack on the wolves.

"HRRRRRRRRRAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

His yell was more animal than man. In this enraged state, no pain or weakness could limit him. The wolves didn't stand a chance. Within seconds, their blood stained the cage. Some even splattered onto the face of the Mentor, who didn't bother wiping it off. As he watched James Howlett eviscerate each animal with unrelenting brutality, he allowed himself a rare smile.

"That's it, my son. Embrace it. Embrace your full nature. Not just part of it," he mused over the commotion, "As James Howlett, you are a man. As Wolverine, you are destined to be so much more."

* * *

 **White Cell Facility – Present Time**

' _My father…I can't freakin' believe it. As if my past wasn't fucked up enough. First, I find out I have a dirt-bag son. Now I get to add daddy issues to the mix. This is the same asshole that turned James Howlett into a monster. Now he says he wants to finish what Weapon X started? If he's anywhere nearly as fucked up as I am, that can only make shit worse.'_

Wolverine's angry thoughts fueled a raging internal struggle. It was a struggle he lost with every involuntary step he took. Standing alongside Sabretooth and X-23, he had no control over their bodies. It was like his brain had been disconnected from his limbs and they were getting signals from somewhere else.

It was discomforting, disorienting, and enraging. He could tell that Sabretooth and X-23 fought it as well. They were no closer to overcoming it than he was. Romulus and Daken certainly didn't seem too worried about them succeeding.

With their bodies being controlled, Romulus led the three former living weapons out of their cells and into the heart of this facility. It didn't have the same feel as a Weapon X lab or even a military base. It almost seemed like a temple of sorts with high walls, a spacious layout, and multiple levels. There was a lot of open space for large equipment to move.

Along the way they noticed various machines that looked built for hauling heavy equipment. They also noticed a number of light and heavy freight elevators. Given the lack of windows and heavy support pillars, this place was probably underground and very well-hidden. All along the ceiling there were cameras and sensors built into the elaborate lighting. It ensured that no square inch of this complex was unaccounted for.

As Romulus led them through the facility, they passed through a series of heavy doors. Wolverine noticed that each door had a distinct X-shaped symbol on it. He recognized the symbol as one that used to identify Team X. The memories came flooding back to him. This man didn't just train him. He conditioned him to be the monster he now despised. That monster was responsible for so much of his torment.

"So it was all you, wasn't it? You were the hidden hand jerkin' everyone around from the beginning," said Wolverine, "Don't know if that makes you an asshole father or just an overall asshole."

"You give me too much credit, son," said Romulus flatly, "I don't micromanage. I didn't plan every intricate detail of your life. I merely provided the necessary influences."

"So at what point was pumping me full of adamantium and turning me into an animal necessary?" barked Wolverine.

"And why the hell did you have to drag me into this shit?" growled Sabretooth.

"When I say necessary, that doesn't mean it was desired," retorted Romulus, "By now, you both should remember your training from Team X. You should know that I taught you the difference between what is necessary and what is required."

"I remember everything, damn it! You didn't teach us shit. You _conditioned_ us," roared Wolverine, "You stripped us both down to animals. You poked and prodded us in all the right ways to make us killing machines. If that's teaching, then what the hell were we supposed to _learn_?"

"In order to be the perfect warrior, you must embrace your most basic instincts," said Romulus, "Both you and Victor were always good at that. You more so than Victor, my son. You were childhood friends for a reason. He was always adept at restraining you from embracing those instincts too much."

"The runt and I were friends?" seethed Sabretooth, "I don't remember that shit and I'm pretty sure I don't wanna!"

"For once, you say something that ain't complete bullshit, Creed," groaned Wolverine.

Romulus led them to a large door at the end of a wide corridor. He then turned around and faced the enraged former weapons. Daken stood by his side, ready to rough them up if the order came. However, Romulus didn't resort to such brutish tactics. He had used them enough when he trained these two men decades ago. This was different. They were too childish to understand it, but they were now part of it.

"You were more than just friends. You were like brothers. That's what made you such a formidable force," said Romulus, "But teaching you to be the perfect warrior required more than camaraderie or mutant abilities. For you see…I needed you to be the one, my son. I needed you to be the template from which Weapon X would be built. That required you to suffer. It required many around you to suffer. Yet it was all for a purpose."

"I've heard _that_ before," scoffed X-23, "There's no purpose behind living weapons. It's all greed and ego! My creators didn't even try to hide it."

"Well, I am not your creator, Laura Howlett. At least not directly," said Romulus cryptically, "The men who made you and the men behind the original Weapon X may have had depraved motivations, but they were never going to succeed. I wouldn't have allowed it if their own incompetence hadn't done them in."

"So then what's the difference between you and them? How are you any less depraved?" spat X-23.

"Because my motivations are different," said Romulus, "I'm not out for money, power, or glory. Not anymore. From the very beginning, you've been part of a much grander vision."

"Grand visions have a way of putting me to sleep," snarled Sabretooth.

"Vision or no vision, if Weapon X is part of it then its safe to assume it's batshit crazy," said Wolverine.

"Are you really _that_ judgmental, Father? Honestly, good parenting must skip a generation," teased Daken, "I almost feel sorry for your little clone here."

"As soon as I can move again, I'm cutting your throat and ripping off that ridiculous hair of yours," seethed X-23.

"Before you deem my vision mad, see it for yourself," said Romulus, "I can promise that your lifetime of suffering has not been in vain. I can also promise you that more suffering will follow you and it won't just be restricted to _your_ lifetime."

There was a less-than-subtle subtext to his voice. Romulus made sure his children understood it despite their anger. To add further substance to hit threat, he opened the large door behind them. It revealed the biggest room yet and inside were a great many reasons for Wolverine and X-23 to cooperate.

The massive room looked like it was one part lab and three parts labyrinth. It was shaped like a sphere, not unlike the designs of Cerebrum back at the Xavier Institute. It had only one central platform where rings of lab equipment that consisted of chemical synthesizers, medical examination tables, and bio tanks. All this equipment was arranged around a central core.

The core looked like a supercomputer, consisting of elaborate green tubes that fed into a glowing array of circuitry. It looked pretty advanced, not unlike the machinery that Sinister used. Given his role in Weapon X, it seemed fitting. Where Romulus set himself apart was the scale of the operation.

All along the surface of the sphere were hundreds of egg-shaped pods. They all resembled the bio-tanks that Sabretooth, Wolverine, and X-23 knew so well from their nightmares. Within these tanks they could see development figures. They looked like human fetuses. It was disturbing on many levels. What was almost as disturbing as the other figures occupying the lab area. To their surprise, there were none of the usual Weapon X scientists in white lab coats. Everything was being operated by the masked assassins that they had fought earlier.

As they were led towards the lab, Wolverine and X-23 saw that Romulus wasn't restricting the scope of Weapon X to just them. Cyclops, Angel, Warpath, Emma Frost, Domino, Nightcrawler, and Hellion were each sitting on an examination table with two assassins doing a detailed medical analysis. They looked every bit as uncomfortable, indicating that they were also at Romulus's mercy.

"Nice of you to join us, Wolverine," greeted Warpath dryly.

"Since you haven't killed this guy yet, I assume he shot you up with the same paralyzing gunk," said Angel, wincing as one of the assassins stuck a needle in his wings.

"Damn," grumbled Wolverine, "So much for one of us being competent enough to escape."

"Speak for yourself, Logan. I don't enjoy having my body controlled against my will. It has tone too many bad _connotations_ ," said Emma Frost.

Both Logan and X-23 growled at this sight. The horrors of Weapon X left many scars on them. These were scars they wouldn't wish on anyone, let alone their friends and teammates. Romulus was playing dirty by threatening that same torment on them.

"Julian…" said X-23, her gaze quickly narrowing on him, "He has nothing to do with any of this. I doubt you'll let him go, but don't put him through this."

"I'm okay, Laura. I can take it," said Hellion, hiding his discomfort as electrodes were placed on his head.

"No you can't. You _shouldn't_!" said Logan.

"I've endured vorse training from zhe Azazel," added Nightcrawler, "Ve'll be okay."

"For the moment, at least," said Cyclops, who looked far more agitated than the others, "Just…stay focused, X-Force."

"You okay, Cyclops? It sounds like you're having a panic attack," commented Domino, who was sitting on the table next to him, "Although no one here would blame you."

"I'm fine. I…I'll be fine," said Cyclops, sounding like he couldn't breathe.

Cyclops sounded like the body-controlling drug was taking a toll on him. It was more psychological than physical. He was fighting it as hard as he could while the others tried to stay calm. As they struggled, Daken approached them with a taunting leer.

"You'll all be fine, provided you cooperate. Although if some of you insist on being difficult, well then I'll just have to _punish_ you," said Daken, eying Angel and Emma Frost in a lurid manner.

"I _really_ hope that wasn't supposed to sound sexual," groaned Angel.

"Welcome to my world," grumbled Emma.

Daken cast his sadistic gaze on each member of X-Force, licking his lips in a disturbingly lustful manner at times. It was as if he was daring them to try something foolish. He made sure that Wolverine and X-23 saw this. That way they would also be dissuaded from resisting their control. It left them both powerless and frustrated. Turning back towards Romulus, Wolverine fought ardently to contain his anger.

"You sick son-of-a…" he snarled.

"Watch the language, son. I'd rather not waste time teaching lessons on manners," said Romulus, his voice still as stoic as ever.

"Son?" said Warpath in confusion.

"So that means this Romulus guy is…" said Domino, her words trailing off.

"Doesn't matter who or what he is!" barked Wolverine, "I've seen enough of this _vision_ of yours! It's the same stench of Weapon X! Just different flavors!"

"What you see, smell, and hear is only the surface of something much greater," said Romulus, "Wait until you understand before you cast judgment."

Romulus stepped away from Wolverine, X-23, and Sabretooth for a moment. He turned his attention to the walls of this vast facility, focusing on the developing figures inside. His stoic gaze finally faltered.

He was a man beyond petty emotions, but some were inescapable. Those emotions hadn't caught up to his son, but it was only a matter of time before they did. Most people had the luxury of dying before that moment. For him, there was no such luxury.

"Like you, I'm an old man that time for got," he said to his son, "The mutant power that you inherited from me has kept me strong, durable, and ageless. It allowed you to survive the worst of World War II. In that sense you're lucky. You only had to survive one war. I've had to survive countless."

"Wait…how old are you? That gray hair can't just be for show," said Wolverine.

"I'm old enough to know that mankind's next great war is never far," Romulus answered, "I don't remember the date I was born. It could be as early as four centuries ago or as many as forty. It's all blurred together because in nearly every stage of my life, I was a fighter. I was born into a warrior clan called the Lupine. Like you, I was drawn to combat. I learned to fight, to kill, to hate, and to hunt. And I was good at it…very good. Thanks to my mutant abilities, I never feared death in battle. I healed from every wound and always ended up tanding over my enemies body while they withered away. I savored it. I craved it. I was war and war was my life."

"Sounds like a healthy environment for an aspiring sociopath," commented Angel, still wincing from the needles in his wings.

"It's tragic how right you are. I eventually came to lead my clan. Together, we fought battles all over Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. But as the years went by, the combat caught up to the rest of my clan. They couldn't heal or cease from aging. Eventually, they died out. I tried time and again to father children that would inherit my abilities. None survived. As a result, I became a wandering warrior. Even without my clan, I couldn't turn away from war. I continued to seek it like an addict seeks a drug."

"Maybe you should have tried heroin," groaned Hellion, starting to feel sick from the treatments.

"So you liked to fight. Big deal! I like to fight too. What does this have to do with anything?" scoffed Sabretooth.

"It's _exactly_ what has led us to this moment," said Romulus in a stronger tone, "You and my son may be comfortable with your endless fighting. I was too for centuries. I spent time in Japan. I fought in the Americas. I went anywhere there happened to be a conflict, but with each battle it started to wear on me. It happened slowly and steadily. The endless fighting kept wounding me in ways I could not heal from. It got to a point where all the conflict surrounding each battle became meaningless. It was only near the turn of the twentieth century that I came to a profound realization."

"It couldn't have been too painful if it led you to this," scoffed X-23.

"Look closer, my grandchild," said Romulus distantly, "Every conflict we're part of is essentially the same. It doesn't matter if it's between nations, families, clans, religions, or mutants. It all has the same flaw. Old conflicts fuel new conflicts. Fear and uncertainty fuel aggression and hatred. It's an endless cycle, one that no one has even _tried_ to break. That's where Weapon X comes in. Together, we're going to break the cycle!"

There was an angry desperation in his tone. As he turned around and addressed the former living weapons, he looked upon them with a strange sense of pride. He was like an artist looking upon his greatest work. While they stood paralyzed, Romulus smiled for the first time. Even though they were hardened killers, it sent a chill down their spines.

"Everything you went through, from your training to the adamantium bonding process, was part of a larger plan. It started with the birth of my only son. The circumstances were…unusual. Yet they yielded the results I desired."

"Something tells me it's a good thing I don't remember that shit," muttered Wolverine, "I won't ask about who my mother is if you spare me the details."

"The details are not important," Romulus went on, "The important part was protecting you so that you could fulfill your destiny. As you can imagine, I have my share of enemies. They would have gone to great lengths to kill you. That's why I left you with the Howlett family. They were already a family with a strong military lineage. They set the stage for your admission into Team X. That's also where you met Victor Creed."

"You can skip this part. I don't need to remember why I hate this little runt," seethed Sabretooth, earning him a snarl from Wolverine.

"How could I? For it was the wealth of the Creed family that financed Team X. They sent you because you to join because you lacked discipline. You were an unmotivated brute. Your friendship with my son helped make you who you are."

"It also screwed me over in ways that still piss me off," roared Sabretooth, "You gonna tell me _that_ was part of the plan too?"

"As a matter of fact, it was," said Romulus with a slight grin, "After my son betrayed Team X, I was the one that helped you attack him in Canada. I was the one that sent him on the path that led to Weapon X."

"So that also means I can blame you for killing Rose!" yelled Wolverine.

"It was necessary, my son. I couldn't allow you to live a life of peace. Not yet anyways."

"That supposed to make me _understand_?" he said dryly.

"Look at it this way…she still survived in the form of Mystique," said Romulus callously, "You've no reason to be upset with me. Both of you and Victor Creed needed to be motivated. That way I didn't have to pull to many strings. I just had to make sure there were people like Nathanial Essex, Abraham Cornelius, and John Wraith that were equally motivated to make Weapon X succeed. They needed only a few subtle nudges from me. That way I could focus on the _other_ aspect of my vision."

Romulus turned away from the former living weapons and back towards X-Force. He casually made his way along the examination tables where Cyclops, Angel, Warpath, Domino, Nightcrawler, Emma Frost, and Hellion were still undergoing extensive tests. They all looked uncomfortable and anxious. Some looked like they were in pain. Yet Romulus remained indifferent to it all.

"Turning mutants into weapons is not a novel idea. If I hadn't come up with it, rest assured someone else would have," Romulus stated, "That's why I always made sure there was a balance. Between Team X and Weapon X, I founded White Cell to act as that balance. Being a simple private army with lenient recruiting policies proved lucrative. It also helped me gather data for what Weapon X would become."

"By data I take it you mean _us_ ," said Warpath, who now had several needles going into both arms.

"In a manner of speaking," he replied, "As a mutant myself, I have first-hand experience of their value in a war. Whether it's healing, wings, or firepower the innate abilities of a mutant give them the edge over all mankind. Man can build tanks, planes, and nuclear bombs. But they are mere tools. Like all tools, they have their limitations. They break down. They malfunction. They have no warrior spirit."

"And turning them into mindless drones is _better_?" said Domino dryly.

"Who said they had to be mindless? The key is imparting that killer instinct that makes warriors like myself so deadly. Yet even with enhanced healing, heightened senses, and adamantium bones the end results are still limited. That's the point of gathering data. Much of it came courtesy of Sebastian Shaw, a man who you can always rely on being too greedy for his own good."

"It's _obscene_ how right that is," muttered Emma, who didn't appreciate all these unwelcome hands on her body.

"While Weapon X developed the tools to impart that killer instinct, Shaw developed a means of synthesizing mutant abilities," he went on, "For him, it wasn't enough to merely have abilities of his own. He wanted to control them."

"And you didn't?" scoffed Emma.

"No…not control. I wanted to _channel_ them," said Romulus as he loomed over Emma's examination table, "The development of MGH was decades in the making. I understood that if I was to create the perfect living weapon, they needed the right blend of mutant abilities. That included firepower, strength, durability, telepathy, and teleportation. This way they could be anywhere and deliver any amount of force required."

"All those powers you listed…that's where we come in, isn't it?" said Cyclops, still looking more distressed than anyone else in X-Force.

"I can think of few subjects more worthy," said Romulus with another sadistic grin, "You were willing to stand and fight against your own friends. You were willing to oppose every government in the world. In addition to your powers, you have that killer instinct that every living weapon needs."

"Should we be flattered or pissed?" groaned Angel.

"Showing a little honor certainly wouldn't hurt," said Daken coyly, "My grandfather went through the trouble of deceiving Sebastian Shaw and having him develop a means of artificially enhancing mutant powers, only to screw him over when he succeeded. And not in the fun sort of way either."

"Logan, I don't know vhat your son here says about you, but it's creeping me out," said Nightcrawler as Daken's sadistic eyes passed over him.

"No need to remind me, Elf. Sonny boy here has problems that ain't gonna be solved with discipline," quipped Wolverine.

"Your son's only problem is his loyalty," said Romulus as he stood proudly by his grandson, "After I saved him from a gruesome fate in Japan, he's become one of White Cell's best warriors. He understands what I'm trying to do. I didn't go through the trouble of developing Weapon X and soliciting the greed of Sebastian Shaw to develop MGH for my amusement. There was always a greater goal in mind."

Romulus turned away from the examination tables and made his way back towards Wolverine. With Sabretooth and X-23 still by his side, Romulus loomed over the former living weapon. There was a strange mix of pride in his expression. It wasn't just the pride of a father seeing what his son had accomplished. It was an arrogant kind of pride that assured no one would undermine his vision.

"Look back on all the experiences you had, Wolverine. All that skill, rage, and heart made you more than just a killing machine. It made you a warrior," said Romulus.

"That supposed to make me hate you any less?" grumbled Wolverine.

"It's supposed to provide perspective that I hope to impart on the next and final generation of warriors," said Romulus as he gestured over to the walls, "Look at these wondrous specimens before you. The raw materials from which they are crafted comes directly from you. It's not unlike what I had Sebastian Shaw attempt with the Weapon X-23 program. Why go through the trouble of training many warriors when you can just clone your best?"

"So you were behind that program too?" spat X-23.

"Don't tell me you're surprised, little runt," scoffed Sabretooth.

"It was a necessary part of the process. Granted, it took 23 tries, but the fruits of that program are what led to this magnificent complex," said Romulus, "Your program helped me earn Shaw's trust when he was still an aspiring deviant, Miss Howlett. Even though he failed to control you, he succeeded in developing the cloning process that I intend to use for this unprecedented moment in the history of war."

"What's so unprecedented about it?" scoffed X-23, "If you're just making more clones, you're still no better than Shaw."

"There are easier ways for a father to flatter his son, bub," added Wolverine.

"You're forgetting one important difference. Unlike Sebastian Shaw, I am not driven by greed or profit," Romulus pointed out, "For Nathanial Essex, making the ultimate living weapon was a glorified science experiment. For Abraham Cornelius, it was an act of pure ego. For John Wraith, it was purely strategic. For me, however, it was something much greater. For you see, once someone has the ultimate weapon, then war as we know it becomes obsolete. That endless cycle of conflict has no choice but to end."

Romulus stepped back from the former living weapons and approached the elaborate core at the center of the vast chamber. The core appeared to be processing a great deal of data. It looked like some of that data was coming from the examinations being done on X-Force. Some of it was probably from Weapon X. Between the core and Romulus, everything that had influenced the course of their lives was now in a tangible form.

"Take everything that Weapon X ever developed. Take everything Sebastian Shaw developed with X-23 and MGH. Take all the mutant abilities gathered from decades of White Cell operatives. Put them on a template derived from my own son and the result is both the ultimate warrior _and_ the ultimate weapon. These humble assassins that you've encountered are mere prototypes. They helped demonstrate the basic potential that my son's template could create. Combined with the enhanced control offered by MGH, the final process can begin!"

"What process? Is this the same process my brother tried to stop?" asked Warpath, still resisting as the masked assassins stuck him with more IV fluids.

"John Proudstar never stood a chance at stopping me. No one did," said Romulus confidently, "Most of White Cell doesn't know about this place. I'm just the faceless vision behind it. With that vision, I will take White Cell's mission to a new level. With all these materials, I will create not just one ultimate warrior. I will create an entire army of them! Armed with mutant abilities and the killer instinct of my son, they will traverse every corner of the world. They will be swift, deadly, and efficient. There will be no need for bombs, bullets, or collateral damage. They will destroy any threat and win any battle with absolutely loyalty."

"So what will that make you? The ultimate warlord?" said Wolverine dryly.

"No…more like the ultimate peace-keeper," said Romulus.

From the core, Romulus entered a few commands on the control panel. Several pods from the wall extended outward, reaching the central platform. Once they were close enough, the greenish bubble that encased the developing figures inside opened. It revealed a fetus that looked like a newborn infant. Wolverine had to hold back his disgust because he could see the small boney claws extending out of their little hands. Due to his paralysis, he and X-23 watched as a series of IV extended out from the walls and injected themselves into these infant figures.

"You want to understand my vision? You need only understand this," said Romulus as Daken joined him at the core, "I'm a tired old man who has seen one too many wars. The war that mutants are trying to prevent is inevitable and I have no desire to see that war. The only way to stop it is to strip both man and mutant of their ability to harm one another."

"How the hell are an army of Wolverine clones supposed to do that?" scoffed Sabretooth.

"On his own, they can't. But armed with the powers procured from Shaw and those donated by your friends in X-Force, this new generation of Weapon X warriors will be _unstoppable_. Under my command, I will send these warriors to every corner of the planet. With their power, they'll destroy every weapon that's more lethal than a butter knife. Every tank, plane, fighter jet, bomb, and gun will be eliminated. Every military will be reduced to scrap. Any human or mutant that attempts to wage war on one another will be slain, thus forcing every being on this planet to set aside such needless conflict. With no wars and a vigilant eye watching over the world there can finally be peace."

"Only on _your_ terms!" Cyclops shouted out, "If you're the gate-keeper of these weapons, then it's not true peace. It's just _your_ peace."

"I fail to see the problem with _that_ ," scoffed Daken.

"That's because there is no problem," asserted Romulus, "Mankind has had thousands of years to learn peace. They've failed at every turn. The only way for peace to reign at this point is for someone to impose it."

"And who are you to do the imposing?" asked X-23, "Just because you're old, tired, and jaded?"

"Because I have more incentive than anyone to avoid war," said Romulus, "None of you can possibly understand. You're still too caught up in your own personal vendettas to see the big picture. Once everything is in place, you'll come to accept it."

Romulus sounded so certain that he was right. His vision was so grand, yet so perverse. He took his aversion to war to an outrageous extreme. Wolverine, X-23, and the rest of X-Force didn't need to strain their imagination to see the implications.

On some levels, his intent was good. He not only wanted to end all war in one single swipe. He wanted to impose a strict peace that could not be broken. Taking in everything he had just told them about Weapon X and MGH, they could safely say that he had the tools to do this. If all these developing fetuses turned into obedient Weapon X warriors armed with a wide range of mutant powers, then no one would be able to stop Romulus.

The fate of all conflicts would rest in the hands of one man. That was a lot of power to be placed in the hands of one man, let alone Wolverine's father. Romulus himself admitted he had been jaded by lifetimes of war. Even if he believed he was doing the right thing, he was still a man of very twisted ambition. He had to be stopped.

"Okay, I'll be the one to say it. A world with no war and no fighting sounds like a pretty sweet deal," said Hellion, sounding sick from his examination.

"Does this mean you'll stop fighting the drug? You'll save yourself a lot of needless frustration," said Daken.

"You didn't let me finish," said Hellion, trying to push through the discomfort, "There's just one problem that I'm sure everyone else here is smart enough to see. If you're the guy with the ultimate weapon and you're using that weapon to just force everybody into line…well, that's not really peace."

"So you _do_ pay attention in class," commented Emma.

"You don't need school to figure out this vision is bullshit," said Domino.

"You had best watch your tone," threatened Daken, drawing his claws in a threatening manner, "None of you are in a position to criticize."

"On zhe contrary. Ve're zhe ones being held against our vill so ve're in a much better position zhan you zhink," quipped Nightcrawler, "Take it from someone who knows a little about hellfire and brimstone. If people are good just because some all-powerful threat vill kill them if they slip up, then zhey're not really good."

"If you're as old as you say you are, you should be old enough to know better," said Cyclops, who was sicker than Hellion at this point, "A very smart man named Charles Xavier once told me that peace can't be imposed. It's difficult to attain for a reason. That's what makes it meaningful."

Romulus's stoic gaze didn't falter. Those remarks did nothing to dissuade him. If anything, he was disappointed. Such a reaction wasn't unexpected. None of these credulous souls had experienced what he experienced. The only way they could fully grasp his vision was to be part of it.

"I don't usually agree with Summers so you know this is a big freakin' deal," said Wolverine as he stared down his father, "This ain't the way to work out your issues, pops. Take it from me, lashing out at the world like this ain't gonna end well."

"I'm sorry, my son. But within the context of our vast lifetimes, you're still a child," said Romulus as he stood before his son once more, "You don't yet know what's good for humanity. No one does."

"That includes you too," quipped X-23.

"And who are you to make that judgment?" scoffed Daken as he pointed his claws at X-23.

"Don't bother being angry with her, my grandchild. She is but an infant," said Romulus as he waved Daken down, "I won't argue that I'm more qualified than any other being on this planet to make such a call. I'll just say that I've had centuries to put myself in a position to do so. It would be selfish of me _not_ to utilize it."

"As selfish as making yourself an army of Weapon X's that only _you_ can control?" questioned Wolverine.

"It's all a matter of context and vision. I don't care if you fail to see that now, my son. One day, I promise you'll appreciate it."

"Once this drug wears off, I'll give you something to appreciate old man," growled Sabretooth angrily.

"Which is exactly why we'll make sure you get a double dose," said Daken, taunting Sabretooth by pointing his claws at his face.

"As will all of you," said Romulus, not waving Daken down this time, "In order to perfect my Weapon X warriors, my son and X-Force must remain cooperative. Over the course of the next few days, my associates will extract and synthesize your abilities with the core templates I've already created."

"Days? Now I'm agreeing with Sabretooth as well," said Angel, sickened by the notion of being controlled like this for days on end.

"Do not worry. You'll receive reasonable treatment. I'm not a monster. Not unless you provoke me," said Romulus with a very unsubtle undertone, "Your warrior skills and mutant abilities will provide Weapon X with the last necessary elements for a moment hundreds of years in the making. Once my new army of warriors is completed, you shall all bear witness to the end of all war."

* * *

 **Xavier Institute – Cerebrum Chamber**

Jean Grey had never been this hesitant before. She knew what she had to do and she knew without a doubt that it was right. Hank and Sage found exactly what they needed. Fantomex and Deadpool had stumbled upon what might be their best link to White Cell. All she had to do was trace the psionic signal that was controlling the sample that Sage had in District X. It sounded so simple. Yet there were certain factors she couldn't ignore.

For nearly five minutes, Jean stood at the control panel for Cerebrum arguing with herself. She understood the urgency of locating White Cell and uncovering their secrets. She also understood that doing so flew in the face of the MSA's direct orders.

She wasn't even supposed to be here. She was supposed to be coordinating with Betsy, Piotr, Ororo, Rogue, Remy, and Captain Freeman on exposing the rest of Shaw's operations. She was obligated under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative to stick to the official mission. If she moved forward with this, then she could undermine everything they had worked for.

' _What are you waiting for, Jean? Just go through with it already! Hank and Sage already gave you the data. Just put the helmet on, run the program they gave you, and do what you need to do.'_

Even if she decided to defy the Professor, there was no guarantee she could even trace the signal. With the Phoenix Force still dormant, it might take days for her to successfully track it. On a logistical and personal level, she was at a loss. She was so caught up in this internal struggle that she didn't sense Professor Xavier enter the Cerebrum chamber.

"Trying to squeeze in a little overtime, Jean?" he greeted as he approached.

"Professor!" gasped Jean, nearly jumping out of her skin as she turned around, "I uh…I thought you were in a meeting with General Grimshaw."

"It ended early. Besides, there wasn't much to talk about for once. They still refuse to address my concerns," he said in a morose tone.

"Oh? Like what?" asked Jean, trying to go along with the conversation.

"You're a skilled psychic, Jean. You know what those concerns are. I'm also a skilled psychic last I checked. I know what yours are as well."

A wave of anxiety fell over the young psychic. She could tell from the look in his eyes that he knew what she was up to. He might not have known the details, but he was smart enough to know the intent. He could just as easily find out from a stray thought so she instinctively closed her mind off, which might as well have been another clue.

"You don't need to guard your thoughts, Jean. I've already walled off mine. You couldn't leak any thoughts to me if you injected them into my skull with a syringe," he told her.

"I…don't know what you're talking about, sir," said Jean, still playing ignorance even if it was making her look like a fool.

"Then I'll change the subject," Xavier said, "I know that you've been quite vocal about the Shaw case. Even some of your fellow X-men don't fully agree with you. But I understand your argument. You're actually right on many levels. Ignoring the possible White Cell connection could prove detrimental. Even General Grimshaw agrees that the betrayal of Sebastian Shaw was likely a sign that someone within the organization is making a move."

"Yet he still won't do anything about it," stated Jean, "You've tried to convince him, but he's not budging."

"I've tried to convince everybody at or above his pay grade to probe deeper into White Cell. I've yet to make any meaningful progress. I doubt I will in time to make much of a difference. So I've decided to set the issue aside and let _other_ forces handle it."

"Were those your exact words to Grimshaw?" she asked him.

"More or less," he affirmed, "I intend to keep them as well. I plan on refocusing my efforts on more pertinent matters while rehabbing from my stab wound. As for White Cell, I'm confident those _other_ forces I referred to will do the right thing. I may not be able to help them, but I can offer them my _unspoken_ support."

Jean's anxiety turned to suspicion. There was a distinct subtext to Professor Xavier's tone. If he knew what she was up to, he was being exceedingly coy about it. His expression was purposefully cryptic. It was like he was trying to tell her something with neither words nor thoughts.

"I'm…sure they're appreciative, sir," said Jean, choosing her words carefully, "Who or what do you think these _other_ forces entail?"

"The kind that know when to do the right thing…even when seemingly insurmountable obstacles stand in their way," he replied with equal care, "Especially when they feel they have information worth acting on."

"Well even if hypothetically speaking they had such information, they would have quite a time covering their tracks," she said, "You said it yourself, sir. You're a powerful psychic that has to report to the MSA on a daily basis."

"And I'll continue to do so," Xavier said with an exasperated sigh, "But even a powerful mind like mine tends to forget things every now and then. In addition, the medications they gave me for my wound may or may not have certain side-effects. I certainly couldn't be held responsible if I was simply unaware of such activity."

At that point that Jean pieced it together. The Professor couldn't say it overtly. He couldn't even think it. However, it was still implied in both his words and his gestures. Jean nodded lightly to let him know she understood. Assured of this, Xavier smiled and turned around.

"I'll let you continue working on some _upgrades_ for Cerebrum, Jean," said Xavier, maintaining a cryptic tone, "I've cleared a few channels and sent out a maintenance notice to the MSA."

"I appreciate that, sir," said Jean with a smile, "I should warn you though…these upgrades may take a few days."

"I understand. Take all the time you need," he assured her, "If you or anyone else in the team needs to take some off time, go right ahead. I have plenty to keep me occupied in the meantime."

The Professor didn't look back as he exited the chamber, almost as if to avoid seeing anything that he would have to lie about later on. Jean let out a sigh of relief. Professor Xavier might have been a man of principle, but he was still willing to bend the rules when necessary. With his unsaid understanding, Jean's decision became clear. Taking another deep breath, she grabbed the Cerebrum helmet and put it on in anticipation of a very taxing psychic search.

' _Guess that takes care of that. You have no more excuses now, Jean. For all you know Scott, Logan, and the rest of X-Force are already hot on White Cell's trail. Knowing those two, they've already gotten themselves into trouble! Phoenix Force or no Phoenix Force, you need to step up and track that signal!'_

* * *

 **Up next: Crimes Against Inhumanity Part 2**


	15. Issue 163: Crimes Against Inhumanity 2

**Issue #163  
Crimes Against Inhumanity Part 2**

* * *

 _Conflict is brewing between humans and mutants. Professor Charles Xavier dedicated his life to guide mankind through that conflict. Together with his team, the X-men, they've kept the world away from the brink. However, at times they still walk a fine line._

 _In wake of the split between the X-men and X-Force, Professor Charles Xavier tried to legitimize his vision with the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. He thought that allying himself with the authorities would ensure stability. While it has shown promise at times, it has since become an obstacle._

 _It started with Sebastian Shaw. The X-men were able to shut him down before he could distribute a powerful drug known as MGH that could enhance mutant abilities. In wake of his arrest, they discovered a possible link between his operations and that of a mysterious organization known as White Cell. This private military that has a history of employing mutants was suspected of using Shaw to develop MGH. But before the X-men could investigate, the authorities declared them untouchable much to their frustration._

 _While the X-men must work under the radar, X-Force has already probed deeper into White Cell. In doing so, they uncovered a plot that goes back to Weapon X and beyond. Now they are prisoners of a devious man named Romulus. This man, who happens to be Wolverine's father, is taking no chances. He's prepared to rid the world of war by any means necessary and he has the full force of White Cell to ensure his vision._

* * *

 **White Cell Base – Front Gate**

"Let's pick up the pace people! We're on high alert here!" barked James Hudson to the chaotic scene behind him.

"We heard you the first time!" yelled a nearby White Cell soldier, "I don't care if you call yourself Guardian. We can guard ourselves, thank you very much."

James scolded the soldier as he joined a mobile unit in the back of a jeep. While he and many others seemed to understand the urgency of this situation, they didn't seem to take it seriously. Arrogance was already setting in after they got their orders from the top to return from all active missions.

Much of White Cell's elite units had been recalled to the main base while all subsequent units returned to regional bases. Whatever was happening, the higher ups wanted the main base guarded at all costs. They weren't given a reason. In White Cell, reasons were never needed. Only loyalty was needed and James had extra motivation to uphold it.

Standing at the front gate of the main complex, James surveyed the scene before him with mixed feelings. Behind him was White Cell's unofficial alpha team. It consisted of him, Heather "Vindicator" Hudson, Christopher "Agent Zero" Nord, Mary "Typhoid Mary" Walker, Walter "Sasquatch" Langkowski, Eugene "Puck" Judd, Xi'an "Karma" McCoy, and the Beaubier twins. While White Cell employed many mutants, this team was considered the best. It was why they were entrusted with guarding the main.

"You sound more paranoid than usual, James," commented Sasquatch, "Still pissed about getting pwned by that shape-shifter?"

"I've seen pictures of that woman. I can't say I would mind being locked in a room with her," grinned Punk.

"You two had better start thinking with the right head or you'll end up losing both," spat James, "This is a big fucking deal! The big boss doesn't recall all of White Cell's elite forces into one area if there isn't a threat."

"Is that why he recalled Mr. and Mrs. Botched Lobotomy over there," said Sasquatch, gesturing towards Christopher Nord and Mary Walker.

"Call them what you want. They're still one of White Cell's best. We'll need them and every skill they have to offer in order to confront this threat," said James.

Sasquatch and Puck exchanged glances. Looking back towards Nord and Walker, the threat took on a more mysterious nature. While still technically part of the alpha unit, Nord and Walker were anomalies.

They were both mutants. Nord could redirect kinetic energy and Walker was a psychic with a mix of telekinetic and pyrokinetic abilities. However, for reasons that were never divulged, they underwent some sort of procedure that rendered them lobotomized. They were like machines and their battle suits reflected this by covering their faces with masks. The boss only sent them on specialized missions so having them involved was telling.

"Unlike the rest of you slackers, I came face-to-face with that threat," James went on, "Mystique may very well be the reason why this base has been locked down for the past three days."

"Or it may be completely unrelated," commented Xi'an, "You've been in White Cell longer than I have. Part of this business involves not knowing every detail."

"Plausible deniability is one of our commandments after all," said Puck, rolling his eyes.

"And there's a reason for that…just as there's a reason behind everything the big boss does," said James, "White Cell has something here that's worth protecting. We've already put it in jeopardy. It's our responsibility to protect it."

"Don't you mean _yours_?" questioned Jean-Paul, "Weren't _you_ the one that broke under Mystique's little interrogation?"

"Jean-Paul! You're _not_ helping," Jean-Marie scolded.

James Hudson's expression tensed. Even if Jean-Paul's remarks were immature, his point was still valid. He was the reason why the boss's operations were compromised. Now the entire organization had to pick up the slack because of him. As a soldier that was once dishonorably discharged from the Canadian military, he did not take kindly to being dishonored again.

"You don't need to keep yelling at us, James. We get it. I'm taking it just as seriously as you," said Heather Hudson, offering her husband a comforting gesture.

"Of course _you_ get it, Heather. Mystique used you to get me to talk. I'm lucky the boss didn't maim me on the spot," muttered James.

"That's not how he works and you know that," she told him, "He tends to be more understanding when personal relationships are involved. It got us kicked out of the Canadian military, but it won't get us kicked out here."

"You don't need to remind me, Heather. I know the boss's position on bonds in the battlefield," he said in a somewhat calmer tone, "But you know what _will_ get us in trouble? If that information I gave Mystique leads her or any of her friends to our doorstep!"

"Since when does Mystique have friends," questioned Sasquatch, "Wasn't the Azazel dissolved years ago?"

"She's never been one to limit herself," said James, "We already know someone has been applying pressure to White Cell. I hear someone even managed to get away with an important package in that Uzbekistan operation."

"I thought that was just a rumor," said Xi'an.

"Not this time, Karma. I was sent to do some cleanup on that mission. I can say without reservation that it was pretty messy," said Jean-Marie.

"Is that why you came back to Montreal with a fractured right arm?" asked Jean-Paul.

"Courtesy of Darkstar, who was _almost_ as upset about the operation as the boss," she replied.

"Which I doubt is a coincidence," said James, "The boss wouldn't have assembled this team if he didn't think there was a threat. Our orders are to remain on alert until he gives us the all clear."

"Any idea what _that_ entails? The boss tends to be overly vague at times," said Puck.

"His exact words were…you'll know it when you see it," said James, "He's never been one to exaggerate so that should be more than enough motivation for you guys to stay on your toes. And if you insist on busting my balls about it, I'd be more than happy to test my new battle suit on you!"

His harsh words were sufficient to discourage further remarks. Jean-Paul, Jean-Marie, Puck, Sasquach, and Xi'an refocused themselves on the task before them. In the distance, they could see all the main gates locking down with dozens of elite units manning their posts. They were armed in White Cell's most advanced battle suits. It was enough to make them wonder just what they were guarding and why the boss deemed it so important.

In the end, it wasn't their place to question. They had their orders. Whether the threat came from Mystique or the forces in Uzbekistan, they were bound by loyalty to protect the facility until the mission was complete.

* * *

 **Xavier Institute – Hanger**

Jean Grey's head was killing her. Three days of using Cerebrum to track White Cell's signal had taken a toll on her. She had barely slept or ate. She remained focused on locating the source of this lone psychic signal. She couldn't call upon anyone to help either because what she had done directly defied the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. Even after she located the source, she had to deal another daunting problem.

' _This is not going to go smoothly. Not even with all the luck the X-men never seem to get. Since when did doing the right thing mean breaking the law? I'm already liable for treason after using Cerebrum. Now I have to get my friends to commit the same crime as well. And here I was thinking the Mutant Monitoring Initiative was supposed to be fair.'_

Her head continued to pound as she stood before Ororo, Rogue, and Remy. They were all clearly interested in the situation with White Cell. That interest would have to take the form of open defiance as Jean prepared for an ambitious mission to confront White Cell.

"Jean, you look terrible," commented Remy, "And them be words Remy ain't ever thought he would say about you."

"Ah would usually scold mah boyfriend for his crass remarks, but for once they're appropriate," said Rogue, "Seriously Jean, did you even _try_ sleeping today?"

"Or the past three days for that matter?" added Ororo, showing great concern for her former student.

"You can berate my sleeping habits when the mission is over. That's assuming that I don't have to wipe your minds when I'm finished," said Jean, trying to maintain her composure, "There's a reason I didn't send Peter and Betsy an encrypted text message. Those two aren't willing to break the law. I'd rather not persuade them so we're pretty much it."

"That ain't much to work with, cherè," said Remy as he looked around, "You talking about going all in on White Cell. This be a private army with who knows how many mutants guardin' the gates."

"Even if the X-men were at full strength, that would be a tall order, sugah," said Jean.

"I know. Believe me, I _wish_ the odds were better. However, our hands are tied by the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. No one in the government is willing to touch White Cell and from what I sensed, we don't have time to convince them otherwise."

"How do you figure? What exactly did you sense?" asked Ororo.

"My head is still throbbing so I'd rather not go into detail," she groaned, having to rub her temples again, "All I know is that the source of White Cell's signals are coming from a base in Canada. Along with that signal, I sensed a large gathering of mutant forces. Some of them felt familiar. They may be X-Force."

"So that means Scott, Logan, James, and mah brother may already be there?" said Rogue.

"If they're cunning enough to track White Cell down, I'd say that's a safe assumption."

That revelation heightened the stakes. Now it wasn't just about stopping White Cell or MGH. Their friends might already be caught up in the danger. That added extra incentive for Jean because it meant Scott was probably in the line of fire. Ororo had similar concerns with James while Rogue had to worry about Kurt. Despite these incentives, there were still plenty of reservations.

"You be puttin' us all in an awkward position, Jean," said Remy, "There any chance that X-Force could just handle this?"

"It would be nice if they could, but based on what Hank told me I doubt they understand what they're up against," said Jean.

"And just what are they up against?" asked Rogue intently, "How bad is it?"

"Remember the massacre at Purity Church? Well, add White Cell's private army on top of that and you should have a vague idea," said Jean grimly, "These are the same guys that fought Fantomex and Deadpool to the brink over one tiny sample. Say what you will about X-Force's politics, do you really think they can overcome _everything_ White Cell can throw at them?"

"That with or without the shit we don't know about?" said Rogue.

"Even if that mattered, I'm not willing to take that chance," said Jean strongly.

With renewed strength, Jean took out a small tablet computer. On it was a display of the White Cell base, courtesy of Sage's creative hacking. It wasn't as detailed as the War Room computers, but that was the extent of their frustratingly limited resources.

"Hank and Sage worked out some details with Deadpool and Fantomex," Jean explained, "The base itself is pretty standard from the outside. White Cell didn't build it themselves. They just purchased it from the Canadian government. Based on my analysis of the signal, most of their operations are underground. Some further analysis from Sage revealed that White Cell has already surrounded the base with their best special forces. So getting inside would require the equivalent of the Spartan army."

"Sounds as impossible as always," commented Remy, "Where we gonna get a Spartan army if we can't even get the MSA to help us out?"

"For that, we'll have to take a few _obscene_ chances. Sage tells me she's already working on one. She tried to explain it to me, but my head hurts too much to understand her computer jargon," said Jean as she sorted through numerous displays, "If this risk pays off, we'll still need some extra manpower. That's why Fantomex and Deadpool will be joining us."

"Wait…so we're going on this mission with Deadpool and Fantomex?" said Ororo warily, "I'm all for reinforcements, but not the kind they offer."

"Yeah, especially with Deadpool makin' wise-cracks about mah ass," said Rogue with more outrage in her tone.

"Not that Remy can blame him," shrugged Remy.

"We'll have to endure his idiocy and ignore all the reasons we shouldn't trust Fantomex in the process," Jean went on, "Like I said before, we're low on manpower. Officially, we'll be breaking the law as well. Going on a mission that the MSA and the President strictly prohibited is a _huge_ offense. So while I understand your reservations, we're low on choices. If any of you would rather not have that on your conscious, let me know now so we can move forward with this insane plan."

No one said a word. Rogue, Remy, and Ororo hid whatever doubts they had behind a stoic demeanor. They were compromising the X-men, the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, and mutant relations. It was all for the promise of taking on a private military with overwhelming manpower and resources.

Based on the displays Jean showed them, White Cell was prepared for an attack. They would risk more than their lives by going after them. While the X-men had faced such harsh obstacles before, the Mutant Monitoring Initiative really complicated their efforts.

"We're willing to share that insanity with you, Jean," said Ororo, "I respect Betsy and Peter's desire to uphold the initiative, but some threats are too great to ignore."

"Especially if our friends are involved," added Rogue, "Scott may be mah ex, but Ah'm sure he's dragged X-Force into the fire already. It's only fitting that we pull him out."

"It be high stakes, that's for sure. Good thing Remy likes high stakes," grinned the Cajun.

"Good, then we're leaving on the Velocity in ten minutes," said Jean as she put the tablet computer away, "The Professor already organized an official test flight this afternoon. I'm sure Sage can tweak the tracking systems once we pick her up in District X with Hank, Deadpool, and Fantomex."

"So the Professor knows about this?" said Ororo.

"Only to the point where he can deny it without totally lying," said Jean as she made her way to the Velocity, "He's also promised to keep Peter and Betsy busy."

"Can we be sure they won't find out?" questioned Rogue.

"No…we can't," said Jean flatly, "They're still our friends. We're left hoping our trust in them is enough."

"Since one of them be Remy's ex, that may be pushing it, Jean," said Remy.

"You're the one who said you liked high stakes. So play them," she retorted, "You three have only five minutes to log an alibi with the MSA. Tell them you're going out to lunch in District X or something. Whatever you come up with, make sure it sticks. Because once we leave the institute, we're officially breaking the law."

Jean Grey seemed to be channeling her inner Cyclops as she gave those commands. She wasn't nearly as polite about it either. It was clear that she was not fully comfortable having to lead the operation either. Unfortunately, they couldn't enlist Professor Xavier for his usual guidance. He was still operating under the guise of willful ignorance. He entrusted them to take care of this. This trust would be difficult to honor.

"Anyone here want to tell Jean she's in over her head?" commented Remy.

"Ah don't care how durable Ah am. Ah ain't _that_ stupid," said Rogue.

"She's pushing herself. We all are," said Ororo, "We have to be careful with this mission in ways we're not used to. There are political and logistical implications if we slip up."

"Wasn't the point of the whole dang initiative to stop shit like that?" commented Rogue.

"Since when do politics _not_ screw people over in ways they don't expect?" retorted Remy.

"We can argue the details later. We'll only make everything worse by allowing White Cell to succeed," said Ororo strongly, "Even if we're overmatched and overwhelmed, we must still make the effort. Especially if X-Force already has."

"Ain't we supposed to treat X-Force as our rivals?" asked Remy.

"Well seeing as how we're breaking our own laws, Ah'd say we're on the same page for now," said Rogue as she started following Ororo, "Besides, rivals or no rivals, they're still our friends."

Remy lingered as he watched Ororo and Rogue enter the Velocity. There were all sorts of philosophical inconsistencies with this situation. It wasn't just that they were going up against White Cell. They all committed to the Mutant Monitoring Initiative under Charles Xavier and now they were undermining it.

"And so it begins," sighed Remy, "This ain't gonna end well…for anybody."

* * *

 **White Cell Base – Labs**

There were many different kinds of torture. Each was horrific in its own way. Some could endure more than others. Some were more prone to certain kinds of torture than others. There were any number of ways a man like Romulus could have tormented X-Force. In the end, he chose a method that was both devious and useful. It was a method that Cyclops was not equipped to endure.

"Get that damned needle away from me!" yelled the beleaguered X-Force leader as one of Romulus's drones injected him with a syringe.

"You've no one to blame but yourself for this," said Daken as he watched over, "After three days, you're still fighting our drugs. It's getting to the point where it ceases to be amusing."

"I'd rather it kill me…than control me," said Cyclops, short of breath as the drugs coursed through his system.

"Oh give it a rest, Summers. I'm starting to see why my father despises you," scoffed Daken, "You and your friends have not been ill-treated. We haven't taken advantage of you in your vulnerable form. Although with resolve like yours, I must say I'm _tempted_."

"I would tell you to fuck off, but you'd probably take it literally," grunted Cyclops.

Daken let out another sadistic laugh. He and the rest of X-Force were starting to piece together his _proclivities_. He leered over both men and women, ensuring that he made everybody uncomfortable. For Cyclops, it made his skin crawl on top of this sick feeling that had consumed him for nearly three days.

Romulus maintained total control as he moved forward with his insane vision. Every six hours or so, his masked drones would inject his unwilling subjects with the powerful drug that robbed them control over their own bodies. Cyclops, Angel, Warpath, Domino, Nightcrawler, Hellion, and Emma Frost were at Romulus's mercy for every waking hour.

Every movement was tightly monitored. Everything from eating to going to the bathroom was controlled. Most of their time was spent on examination tables, inside bio tanks, or under high-tech scanners. While neither Romulus nor his subordinates took advantage of them outside their duties, it was still a horrible feeling having no control.

The others braved each moment while Cyclops continued to endure a psychological toll. At the moment, he was strapped to a special chair that had this special mask over his face which mimicked his visor. Romulus was gathering data on his powers. The others were in similar states, doing their best to maintain their composure. It wasn't too encouraging to see their leader struggling.

"At the rate he's going, Cyclops is going to have a breakdown any moment," commented Warpath, who was being held in a series of heavy restraints.

"He'll be fine. He's Cyclops," said Nightcrawler, who was lying inside a special isolation tube next to Emma Frost.

"He usually is with most forms of torture, but for _this_ …I have my doubts," mused Emma, expressing greater concern for her ex-lover.

"Guess he would have to be tough if he dated you," quipped Domino as she was stuck with another series of IV tubes.

"It doesn't matter how tough you are. If you completely lose control of yourself, it takes a heavy toll," she mused, "Scott Summers is good at handling a lot of things. Losing control _isn't_ one of them."

"It's a big part of his uptight personality. It borders on being a phobia," muttered Angel, sore after having his wings excessively stretched in some cruel test.

"You know I can still hear you guys! I don't have the luxury of stepping out so you can talk behind my back!" shouted Cyclops.

"Please calm down, mien friend," coaxed Nightcrawler, "Romulus cannot hold us like zhis forever."

"I hope that means there's some sort of plan that you're keeping from me. I don't know how much more of this shit I can take," groaned Hellion, who sat in a chair with a special psionic helmet on his head.

"You'll have to keep hoping, Julian. We had no idea we were walking into this kind of insanity," said Warpath, "We're gonna need more than a little luck to work something out here."

"Well, don't expect me to provide it. For once, I'm tapped out," added Domino.

The news was not encouraging to either Hellion or Cyclops. They both continued to endure as Romulus's mindless drones conducted more tests on them. For three days, they had their bodies and their powers strained. Romulus was serious about measuring them, extracting them, and using them in his vision. All the pods lining the walls were taking a new form by the hour. If their growth over the past few days was any indication, they were almost ready.

While X-Force was subjected to more tests, Romulus utilized a different set of procedures for the former subjects of Weapon X. Wolverine and Sabretooth spent much of their time in special pod-likes simulators. Inside the pods, they had special goggles and computer interfaces imposed over their heads. Through a maze of high-tech electronics, countless scenarios played over in their minds. It was like Romulus was gathering data from every battle they ever fought.

"This shit got old hours ago. How much longer are you gonna remind me of how much ass I've kicked over the years?" growled Sabretooth, "If this is supposed to be torture, it's pretty damn weak!"

"Spoken like a true sociopath. This shit probably gets you horny," said Wolverine dryly.

"It's not meant to be torture. It's meant to compile the various skills and experiences you've acquired throughout your colorful lifetimes," said Romulus, who kept a close eye on them, "It's not enough for my warriors to have abilities. They must have the skill and instinct to effectively wield them."

"So that was really the only point of putting us through Weapon X?" questioned Wolverine, "You just wanted numbers to crunch?"

"Far from it, my son. Believe it or not, I have your best interests in mind."

Romulus proceeded to remove the computer interface from Wolverine's head so he could look his son in the eyes. He had acquired the necessary data. Now, he could address this man father to son.

"I've watched you fight so many battles throughout your life," he told him, "I knew from the moment you were born that you were destined to be a fighter. It was a trait you were bound to inherit from me. I could never stop it, but I _could_ make it so every battle you fought had purpose."

"Since when did every petty fight need purpose?" scoffed Wolverine.

"Since I spent centuries engaging in endless battles, only to have them rendered meaningless in the long run. You have a _lot_ of rage. Some of that rage comes from me. Some of that rage was conditioned during your Team X training. Some of it stems from your rivalry with Sabretooth. In a way, you're lucky. Your rage always had purpose. With every experience, you further refined Weapon X."

"That's some luck," snarled the former living weapon, "Knowing I've always been somebody's meat puppet."

"It's better than the alternative," asserted Romulus, "You could have ended up like me, spending lifetime after lifetime caught petty feuds. And for what? How much better would the world really be if you or Sabretooth finally killed one another?"

"With a father like you, I'd say it would be an upgrade," commented Sabretooth.

"Spoken like an immature child with no vision," scoffed Romulus, "Part of leaving you with the Howletts and guiding you along a certain path was to instill the traits that I've long since outgrown. You've gone on to utilize them in ways that make this old warrior proud."

"I'd tell you where to stick your pride, but you got me drugged and hooked up to a machine," grunted Wolverine. "I'm pretty sure that ain't something a father should be proud of."

"The methods are unimportant. It's the _journey_ that matters. You became a ruthless monster under Team X and Weapon X. You became the most honorable of heroes under the influence of those such as the X-men. Along the way, you've learned to love in ways that I have long since forgotten. Women such as Mariko Yashida and Jean Grey taught you more than I ever could have. Rose was by far the most influential. It's a good thing I put her in a position to fall in love with you. It completed the balance that I need for my army of ultimate warriors."

A wave of memories flashed before Wolverine's eyes at the mention of Rose. He remembered how they came together. Then he remembered the training they underwent under Romulus as well. It come together in a perverse realization.

"Rose…was she just another ploy? Another tool for you to use on me?!" barked Wolverine.

"I chose to train her because I felt she was the only one who could reach you. I turned out to be right, didn't I?" said Romulus smugly.

"You still used her just as you used me!" roared the feral mutant.

"Again, it was all for a greater purpose. The balance between a fearless warrior and a compassionate man is difficult to synthesize. It took you _decades_ of life-experience to develop, but you succeeded, my son. You embody everything a true warrior should be. As such, you were always more than just a monster or a weapon. You are a legacy that will live on in the Weapon X armies that will bring peace to the world."

Wolverine snarled at this manipulative man who had twisted his life to so many extremes. In some way, being this man's legacy was almost as bad as being a monster. He was as much a tool as he was a son. His every instinct urged him to lash out at this man. However, those instincts remained under Romulus's control as they always had. Now he could only watch as they were utilized in this twisted vision.

Ignoring his son's protests, Romulus turned his attention towards another pod that contained the semi-conscious body of X-23. The tests she underwent were very different and very uncomfortable by comparison. For Wolverine, it was difficult to watch.

She had countless needles and IV tubes going into nearly every part of her body. She was wearing some special black body suit that seemed to be feeding data into the core through a complex array of wires. As Romulus stood over her, he gazed at her with the same pride he had for Wolverine.

"Whereas you were the template, young Miss Howlett here is the mechanism," said Romulus as he trailed his hand down her face.

"Guess you don't feel bad about using her either," grunted Wolverine, "You sure didn't care that she was being tortured for most her life!"

"That was Sebastian Shaw. Not me," said Romulus, "I simply needed him to perfect the cloning process. And he did eventually succeed…after 23 tries that is. His plan to use her as a weapon was his own doing."

"That must make it a lot easier on your conscious if you had one," quipped Wolverine.

"I had no doubts that she would escape. She is of our flesh and blood, if I recall," he said, "We should both be proud of her because what Shaw developed with X-23 was almost as vital as MGH. He didn't just perfect the cloning process. He perfected a way to ensure that the clones would have the desired mutant abilities. It was from this technology that I developed the prototypes you had the privilege of meeting. Now that these prototypes have served their purpose, I can create the finished product!"

Romulus followed the wires that led from X-23's body to the main core. From here, he retrieved a special remote control that resembled a large gauntlet. As soon as Romulus put it on, the electronics within it lit up.

With a series of gestured, he issued a new round of commands. Every one of the masked drones stopped what they were doing and stood at attention along with Daken. All around the lab, lights flashed and alarms blared. The core in the center emitted an ominous glow that soon flowed out from the wires and into the countless pods that lined the wall.

Wolverine, Sabretooth, and the rest of X-Force watched as the pods started opening one-by-one. Over the past three days, the developing fetuses inside had matured at a rapid rate. As the mist cleared from each pod, they revealed a fully-grown figure inside that looked almost identical to Wolverine. The only difference was that his skin was lined with wire-like implants. It made these beings look like true living weapons.

"Damn, they're ugly!" commented Sabretooth.

"I'm sure it's a sight that will haunt your nightmares, Creed," said Wolverine snidely.

" _These_ are your ultimate warriors, Romulus?" scoffed Warpath.

"Insult them all you want. You'll only be insulting part of yourselves," said Romulus with an ominous grin.

With the remote-control gauntlet, he gestured towards one of his new warriors. On command, the wires on his body and around his eyes lit up. The being sprang into consciousness as if it were a bear awaking from a long hibernation. Then in a disturbing demonstration of power, it teleported from the pod and appeared in front of Romulus. In its wake was a familiar sulfurous smell that Nightcrawler quickly recognized.

"Zhey have my powers!" the German mutant exclaimed.

"More like an upgrade in your case," said Daken, "The teleportation powers of our prototypes came from an earlier subject that proved quite stubborn. This new influx of power will provide some necessary refinements."

"So these mindless drones here just weren't good enough for you, were they?" sneered Warpath.

"Like my grandson said, they were mere prototypes. They merely proved that my methods work. That was the point of the test at Purity Church," said Romulus.

"That's some test," scoffed Cyclops, "Do you test all your plans with mass murder?"

"I try to avoid it. But given the innate lack of honor amongst the Purifiers, I doubt they'll be missed. All my tests have purpose. These three days of testing are all for a greater purpose as well."

"Could've fooled me," muttered Hellion.

"Thanks to all the data I've gathered, my warriors have all the power they'll ever need to complete their mission. Allow me to demonstrate."

Romulus issued more commands with the gauntlet. In short order, nine more Weapon X warriors teleported from their pods and appeared before Romulus. Once they all appeared, they bowed respectfully to their master. There was no resistance or free will. These beings were completely loyal to Romulus. With this he began his demonstration.

After showing their loyalty to Romulus, the ten Weapon X warriors arose and set their sights on the masked drones that had been conducting all the tests on X-Force. Having given the necessary commands, Romulus stood back and allowed their warrior instincts to cooperate. Each drone did so with disturbing efficiency.

"For peace and honor," they all said in perfect harmony.

The masked drones prepared to defend themselves by drawing their claws. That was as far as they got. In a swarm of attacks that were as varied as they were deadly, the new Weapon X warriors took each drone out.

One used Cyclops's optic blasts to blow the head off one of the drones. Another used Hellion's telekinesis to rip off the limbs of two more. One utilized Warpath's strength to literally knock the head off one of the drones. Another used telepathy to make one grasp it's head and agony and bleed out through his mask. The rest used Nightcrawler's teleportation to appear above and around each drone before attacking with claws of their own. However, their claws were not like the ones used by Wolverine and X-23. Instead, they had the distinct look and malleability of Angel's techno-organic wings.

"Good god!" gasped Angel, "You used the material from my wings in their claws? You really are insane!"

"It's much less messy than bonding their bones with adamantium," said Romulus, "Combined with your avian biology, it ensures my warriors will be as agile as they are deadly."

"I think you've set new standards in overkill, Romulus!" said Warpath.

"Guess when you're planning to wipe out every standing army in the world, you can't be subtle," said Emma Frost.

"And to think, we didn't even give them their guns so they could test Miss Domino's power," laughed Daken, "Which has been tricky to synthesize, unfortunately."

"Aw, what's the matter? Is that going to mess up your carefully crafted plans?" taunted Domino.

"We'll manage," said Romulus, "This first generation will more than suffice to launch the initial attack."

"So you're really going to do it," said Cyclops, still having to fight through debilitating sickness, "You're going to destroy every other weapon on the planet and slaughter anyone who gets in your way."

"My warriors have the collective instincts of Wolverine and Sabretooth. Under my command, I plan on keeping collateral damage to a minimum," said Romulus.

"And you expect us to believe you?" scoffed Nightcrawler, "My father always told me zhat zhe easiest vay for madman to accept massive casualties is to claim zhey vish to avoid zhem."

"If Gambit was here, he would see through your bluff in a nanosecond," said Angel.

"And for once, I'd agree with him," grunted Wolverine, "If you really built these things from me and Creed, then you're an idiot if you think you can control them."

"I _know_ I can control them. I've already proven it by capturing you and your team. I'll prove it again with my first attack," said Romulus sternly.

Ignoring remarks and disgust from X-Force and his son, Romulus issued another command that caused the activity within the core to intensify. The ten Weapon X warriors who he summoned earlier gathered around their master once more. They were soon joined by dozens more.

Within minutes, a full one hundred Weapon X warriors crowded the lab and this wasn't even a fraction of those who had yet to emerge from their pods. As they all stood perfectly poised before their master, Daken joined his grandfather to commence this wondrous moment that had been nearly a century in the making.

"The time has come, my warriors!" he proclaimed, "On this day, you will fight and win the last war for humanity! You shall usher in the first generation that will only know peace! It's taken a century of blood, sweat, and tears! But the ultimate living weapon has finally taken form and substance! Through White Cell and Weapon X, there will be peace! Peace through honor!"

"Peace through honor!" they all proclaimed in perfect unison.

Romulus clenched his fist along with the control gauntlet, feeling for the first time that his vision was within his grasp. Wolverine, Sabretooth, and X-Force could despise him all they want. They would soon appreciate the peace that he would forge.

"You are all ready for your ultimate mission," he said as he turned to Daken, "My grandson will equip you with your uniforms and your weapons. From here, I shall guide you into battles all over the world."

"It should be quite a spectacle, honorable grandfather," said Daken, "Shall I also tell our forces above to remain on high alert until the spectacle has passed?"

"It will not make a difference," scoffed Romulus as his warriors began filing out of the lab, "I've already made sure that no major power will dare attack White Cell. By the time they have sufficient reason it will already be too late."

* * *

 **Pentagon – MSA Command**

"Professor Xavier! General Grimshaw! We need to talk!" said an irate Captain Freeman as he stormed into the main conference room.

"Nice to see you too, Captain Freeman," said Piotr dryly, "Was knocking first _not_ part of your training?"

"We should consider ourselves lucky. At least this time he didn't bust through the door," said General Grimshaw with an exasperated sigh.

What was scheduled to be a regular, boring meeting had been abruptly shattered. Captain Freeman's outburst disrupted what had been three days of unusually uneventful activity. Professor Xavier immersed himself in meetings involving the case against Sebastian Shaw.

He also kept his X-men busy, especially Piotr and Betsy, with operations that involved cleaning up what was left of Shaw's shady operations. After having made such a scene about White Cell, he dropped his concerns with unusual ease. It was only a matter of time before someone got suspicious.

Professor Xavier didn't pretend to be startled as Captain Freeman stormed over to the conference table. General Grimshaw and Colossus stood up to restrain him. The Green Beret was in one of his anxious moods and he didn't need to telepathy to figure out why.

"What seems to be troubling you, Captain? I thought you were coordinating the escort convoy for Shaw's trial," said Professor Xavier, trying to sound reasonable.

"There's only so much grunt work I can handle before I start to get suspicious. If a guy as dumb as me can see the signs, then you must not be trying very hard," said Captain Freeman sternly.

"Bloody hell, this better not be what I think it is," groaned Betsy, who was sitting next to Professor Xavier.

"And what exactly do you think it is, Miss Braddock? Would you say it's worth the Captain barging in on us like this?" said General Grimshaw, shooting the Green Beret an irritated glance.

"Why don't you ask the Professor, here?" quipped Captain Freeman, "Ask him why Storm, Gambit, and Rogue didn't answer my calls through the secure line that they're _obligated_ to answer? Ask him why Jean Grey has spent an unusually long time working on _upgrades_ to Cerebrum? Or if you want to skip all that, ask why the Velocity's tracking gear shorted out over District X of all places?"

Now even General Grimshaw was curious. He shot Xavier a stern glare. It wasn't anger as much as it was disappointment. It was almost as if he was asking him how he could be clumsy when it came to covering his tracks.

"What do you say, Professor? Care to address the Captain's concerns?" asked General Freeman.

"If there's a problem with the Velocity's equipment, then that's something you'll have to take up with Hank. He's more familiar with such hardware last I checked," said Professor Xavier, who did his best to maintain an innocent tone.

"He didn't answer his line either. Agent Brand is already yelling at me," said Captain Freeman, "So why don't we skip the part where you play dumb? You're not very good at it."

"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about," said Professor Xavier.

"And here I was hoping we were done with this," groaned Betsy, "Guess I really was hoping for too much."

"By this, I take it you mean White Cell again, yes?" said Piotr.

"You mean the same White Cell that's supposed to be a dead issue?" said General Grimshaw.

"Is there any other?" said Captain Freeman dryly.

The Professor maintained his silence. He couldn't afford to say anything too foolish or incriminating. He had a feeling something like this would happen eventually. Jean must have found something with Cerebrum. Neither she nor the others were all that concerned with remaining subtle about it. He assumed that was because she discovered something.

Captain Freeman leaned over the conference table and stared down Professor Xavier. As the field leader of the X-men, it was his job to confront issues like this. When the very team he was supposed to lead started going behind his back it was a problem both for him and for the Mutant Monitoring Initiative.

"I don't if all of you are trying to live in the same fantasy land, but this is a serious problem if it's exactly what I think it is," said Captain Freeman.

"And what do you think it is, Captain?" asked Professor Xavier stoically.

"You're still investigating White Cell, aren't you? Despite the President of the United States and every other high-ranking official at every level telling you to drop it, you're _not_ letting this go. Do I even need to tell you how much damage you could do with this? Assuming, of course, that you even care!"

"Of course I care, Captain," said Xavier, "You know as well as anyone how important the Mutant Monitoring Initiative is to me."

"Then tell me with a straight face that it isn't true," said the Green Beret, "Tell me you _didn't_ allow your X-men to go rogue and confront White Cell on their own."

Professor Xavier remained dead silent. It was the only response he could give without lying in front of his X-men and the General. Lies and deception had hurt him before. He wasn't willing to risk it again with something this sensitive.

"Professor, I thought we were committed to convincing everybody that White Cell was a clear and present danger," said Piotr, "You told me this yourself. Was that also a lie?"

"I didn't lie, Peter," said Professor Xavier in an only partially assertive tone.

"Bullocks! Lying isn't required to simply avoid the truth," said Betsy, "So you let the others work behind our backs? I thought we were a team!"

"We _are_ a team," said Xavier.

"Then quit avoiding my question and act like it!" said Captain Freeman, pounding his fist on the table, "I'm not doing this because I'm trying to bust your balls. I'm doing this because this can only end in disaster. I don't want that. And if we're really a team, you'll come clean and let us help you!"

"Calm down, Captain. We're not going to address this in a reasonable manner if you keep using an unreasonable tone," coaxed General Grimshaw.

"I'm amazed you're not as outraged as I am, sir. Did you know about this? Or at the very least suspect it?" said the Green Beret as he turned back towards his superior officer.

"Don't start a witch hunt, son. I know as much as you do and I was as suspicious as anyone. I was just hoping it wouldn't come to this," said General Grimshaw.

There was a silent admission in his tone that told Professor Xavier that he had been operating under the same willful ignorance. If Captain Freeman was this worked up about it, then others in high places already suspected it. If Agent Brand started talking to the President or the UN, then the whole Mutant Monitoring Initiative was in jeopardy.

Captain Freeman turned back to Xavier, who still hadn't given him an answer. No matter what he said, it would do great damage to his own credibility as well as his initiative. Even Betsy and Piotr were looking at him apprehensively. He knew he couldn't stay silent forever. So with a deep, solemn breath he prepared to answer.

"The truth…is rather complicated, Captain," he began, "I'll tell you what I know."

"I'm all ears, Professor," said General Grimshaw.

"Me too," said Captain Freeman sternly, "For all our sake, I hope you have some damn good reasons…"

Professor Xavier was about to continue when another uniformed MSA officer stumbled through the vacant doorway. Since Captain Freeman already destroyed it earlier, he didn't have to knock as he came running up to Professor Xavier and the General.

"General Grimshaw! Professor Xavier! We have a situation!" said the officer.

"Is there even an _infinitesimal_ chance this can wait?" groaned Captain Freeman, "We're kind of in the middle of something here."

"I'm afraid it can't!" said the officer breathlessly, "It happened so quickly and it's getting worse by the second."

"Catch your breath, soldier. Tell me what this is about," said General Grimshaw, who was all too eager for a distraction.

"Twenty bucks it's related to this," sighed Betsy.

"No deal," said Peter.

The officer took a brief moment to gather himself, but he didn't take long. It looked like he had just seen the ghost of Magneto. He was a high-ranking officer, yet his hands were trembling. That hinted that this was big.

"We're under attack!" the officer said without fully catching his breath, "Our military installations here and aboard are being hit. They just appeared out of nowhere and…"

"Wait…slow down for a sec," said General Grimshaw, "Which installations are we talking about here?"

"And who is _they_?" asked Captain Freeman.

"It's _everywhere_! Every base we have! And it isn't just us either. We've been getting reports from China, Africa, South America, the Middle East, and Europe. They're all facing the same attacks! Every weapon, every system, and every combat vehicle is being wiped out! As for who's behind it…"

Before the officer could explain, an ominous rumble shook the room. It was a tremor that was felt from deep within the Pentagon. It caused the lights to flicker and the conference table to shake. It made everyone in the conference room stand up. The already tense atmosphere within the room quickly deepened.

"Save yourself the breath, soldier. I think we're about to find out," said General Grimshaw.

"I take it this means we'll have to table the White Cell issue?" said Professor Xavier.

The General was about to answer when the entire wall in front of them was blown open by a familiar optic blast from a very unfamiliar source. Captain Freeman instinctively shielded the General and the officer while Betsy and Piotr shielded the Professor. As they all looked to the figure that delivered the blast, that same issue became more pressing.

Standing in front of them was an imposing figure that had the build and demeanor of Wolverine. He even had a similar uniform, except his was all black and had reddish streaks along the seams that led to a distinct White Cell symbol on the chest. In addition, the figure's face was covered by a mask that displayed an ominous set of glowing eyes. As it stared down the threats before it, the figure drew a pair of metal claws to fully confirm what was already suspected.

"Peace through honor!" proclaimed the figure in a mechanical tone.

"I believe that answers your question, Professor," said General Grimshaw.

"You _almost_ owed me twenty bucks, Peter," said Psylocke as she formed a pair of psionic blades.

"I'm glad I didn't," said Piotr as he took on his metal form, "I'll also be glad if it turns out our friends _did_ go behind our back. Because if this is happening everywhere, then we are quite literally in a world of trouble!"

* * *

 **Hindu Kush – Kashmir Region**

"Where are our reinforcements? Someone just showed they're stupid enough to declare war on India!" yelled an irate Lieutenant in the Indian military.

"I don't know, sir! But I think the next attack is coming over the ridge!" said an equally irate subordinate.

The heavily disputed Kashmir region of the India/Pakistan boarder had always been a hot-bed of military, but never like this. Twenty minutes ago, a number of ammunition depots and anti-aircraft installments blew up without warning. Naturally, both sides started fighting. The Pakistanis started launching mortars and smoke bombs. The Indian side fired heavy machine-guns as well as rocket-propelled grenades. Neither side seemed to know what they were shooting at. Whatever the source, more explosions followed.

From within the main bunker, the Indian Lieutenant was frantically trying to contact air support while his soldiers returned fire. They could hear other nearby bunkers exploding. They could also see other areas on the Pakistani side exploding in the distance.

It looked like both sides were in an all-out war neither side was winning. As the Indian forces braced themselves for more attacks, they heard a loud rumbling noise overhead. The soldiers quickly recognized it as a helicopter and it sounded like it was about to crash. Naturally, they stopped firing and took cover.

"WE'VE GOT INCOMING!" exclaimed a squad captain.

The soldiers shielded themselves as they watched the helicopter crash less than fifty feet from the bunker. The rotors and engine crumbled under the force. Some of the unfired munitions exploded, illuminating the early morning battlefield. As the chaos unfolded, the soldiers noticed something else about this crash.

About ten feet from the impact, they saw two brief flashes. Through these flashes, two masked figures appeared with four uniformed men besides them. The Indian soldiers didn't recognize the masked figures, but they recognized the uniformed men as Pakistani.

"We've got hostiles! Shoot them into the next life!" shouted the Indian lieutenant.

The soldiers ran back to their guns, but before they could reach them the two Weapon X warriors from outside sensed them and teleported right into their bunker. They appeared right in front of the soldiers and drew their metal claws. Then in a series of swift, devastating attacks they slashed through their guns and equipment. Most of the soldiers fell back, but the lieutenant drew his handgun and tried to fight through.

"Don't let them hold you back! Shoot them!" yelled the lieutenant.

" _You will cease all further hostilities,"_ said the warriors in perfect unison.

The lieutenant only got off one shot, which hit one of the Weapon X warriors in the chest. It did little to no damage. Since the officer proved that he was a threat to their mission, the two figures retaliated in kind. Together, they utilized Cyclops's powers to fire two concentrated optic blasts at the lieutenant that destroyed his gun and delivered a fatal blow.

The other soldiers watched on in horror, not sure of what to do next as they tried to return to their posts. However, the Weapon X warriors made sure they had nothing to return to. Utilizing their telekinesis, they disabled their guns and their RPG launchers. Once everything was destroyed they teleported away, leaving a squad of shocked soldiers and some very confused Pakistanis just outside the bunker.

"Whose side were those men on?" asked one of the Pakistani helicopter pilots.

"I don't know," said his partner as he looked at the baffled Indian soldiers, "I don't think they're on anyone's side. And for some reason, I find that _deeply_ troubling."

* * *

 **Israel – West Bank Boarders**

"GET OFF OUR LANDS!"

"DEATH TO ISRAEL!"

"DEATH TO THE ZIONISTS!"

These angry cries were a common occurrence in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Riots were a fact of life in areas such as the West Bank. Some days were worse than others. Recent peace talks took a particularly ugly turn and hundreds of angry Palestinians took to the streets, arming themselves with whatever they could.

They followed men from a terrorist organization who were armed with illegal automatic weapons. They were at the front of the riot, firing dozens of rounds into a large gated area that the Israelis were patrolling with machine-gun nests and tear-gas launchers.

" _This is your final warning,"_ blared a loudspeaker from behind the gates, _"Fall back immediately. Cease all hostilities or we will fire!"_

"Allah is not on your side! We will never surrender to Zionist oppressors! Never!" shouted one of the soldiers, evoking cheers from the civilians behind him.

The Israelis had heard enough. This riot was no ordinary riot. Someone was giving them firepower that was wearing down all their major security checkpoints. In this politically sensitive area, firing back in a crowd of civilians was strongly discouraged. However, when a riot turned into an invading army their orders were clear.

"We warned them," said an Israeli soldier as a bullet whisked by his head.

From atop the barriers, the Israeli defense forces prepared to fire. They took aim at the masked leaders that were armed. They would not be using riot gear. Their orders were shoot-to-kill. They were prepared to fire. Then to their shock, a series of unexpected flashes appeared behind them along with masked figures that did not look like any terror organization they knew.

" _This dispute ends today,"_ said one of the Weapon X warriors.

The Israeli soldiers barely had time to be shocked. The Weapon X warriors wasted no time in destroying their weapons. They draw their claws and swiftly rendered them useless. A few soldiers tried to resist only to be grabbed by their throats and thrown out of their posts with strength borrowed from Warpath.

From below, the Palestinians watched with a mix of confusion and elation. They could see the heavy arms of the Israelis being destroyed. In the distance, they saw optic blasts decimating deeper encampments. It looked as though someone was already attacking the Israelis from the other side.

"Allah has sent allies to aid us!" proclaimed one of the soldiers, holding his gun high, "Hurry! We can overrun these Zionist pigs and take back what's ours."

The civilians behind the soldiers were prepared to follow. But just as they were about to make their push, the same contingent of Weapon X warriors that disarmed the Israelis appeared before armed leaders. Without proclaiming any role in this long-standing holy war, they used their claws to shred their weapons.

" _You will take back only what you earn peacefully,"_ said one of the Weapon X warriors.

"What are you doing?" exclaimed one of the Hamas soldiers, "Are you also with the Zionists?"

"If you oppose us, you will succumb to their fate!" yelled another as he removed his jacket to reveal a bomb strapped to his chest.

The soldier was prepared to detonate himself in front of the Weapon X warriors. However, one of the warriors used his claws to cut off the man's arm and sever the detonator chord before he could succeed in martyring himself.

"Ahhhhhhhh!" cried the wounded man, which caused a number of civilians to back off.

" _There will be no more bloodshed. If both sides seek war then both sides shall perish,"_ said the Weapon X warrior in a mechanical tone.

As this scene played out, the rioters grew as anxious as the Israelis. They started scrambling in confusion, trying to escape the path of the Weapon X warriors as they teleported and appeared all along the boarder. For a conflict that had so many political and religious undertones, it left both sides in unfamiliar territory.

* * *

 **Grozney, Chechnya**

"Why are they shooting at us? No one ordered an attack!" yelled a veteran Chechnya rebel as he stumbled through a crumbling apartment building.

"Maybe it's another crackdown? Maybe Moscow is striking first this time!" said one of his associates as he followed closely.

"If they are, they're stupid! We've stock-piled enough weapons here to drive them out once and for all. We'll use every last bullet if we have to!"

It was a day many residents of Chechnya had feared. Tensions between separatists and loyalists to the Kremlin had always been present. It was only a matter of time before something sparked the next conflict.

That spark came in the middle of a snowy day in Chechnya. Dozens of areas throughout Grozney were rocked by a series of explosions. Some took place within Russian military encampments. Others took place in rebel strongholds. It seemed to be coming from everywhere and both sides were ready to fight it out for as long as necessary.

The small apartment building was already scarred from the last skirmish. That made it a good location to hide munitions. While their allies scrambled to fight back, the veteran rebel prepared for a bolder strike. He led a small contingent of his most trusted fighters down several flights of stairs into an old utility room that they had stocked with weapons. If the Russian government thought they could crush them easily, they were sadly mistaken.

"Remember the protocol!" said the lead rebel, "Use the automatics to protect civilians. Use the RPGs on road blocks and armored vehicles."

"What if they send in helicopters?" asked one of the younger rebels.

"We have something for that too," said the leader ominously, "Stay close and be ready to move once we…"

Then it happened. Another massive explosion rocked the area. It seemed to come from inside the building. The very floor they were standing on crumbled as if it had been hit by an earthquake. The walls near the ground floor crumbled and the lights flickered out. It was so chaotic that many of the rebels fell back to take cover.

"What was that?" exclaimed another rebel.

"Did we just get bombed?" asked another.

"No! That came from _inside_ the building," said the leader.

As he and his comrades processed this, they saw five Russian soldiers enter through the hole that was blown at the bottom of the stairwell. They stormed in quickly, carrying AK-47s and handguns. They had been drawn in by the explosion and quickly looked around for the survivors.

"Was that one of ours? Is anyone in here?" yelled one of the soldiers.

"Don't play us for fools you imperialist pigs! We know it was you!" spat the lead rebel.

"Someone fucked up," sneered another Russian soldiers, "Looks like we get to fuck them up even more!"

The soldiers raised their guns and prepared to fire. Many of the rebels that had been unable to escape braced for the worst, but it never came. Before a single shot could be fired, two Weapon X warriors appeared in front of them. With their claws already drawn, they sliced through their weapons and used their telekinesis to take away their handguns. Within seconds, they were rendered as vulnerable as the rebels.

"Who the fuck?" exclaimed one of the soldiers as he stumbled back.

" _Fight with honor or don't fight at all,"_ said the two Weapon X warriors in unison.

With no more guns to fight with, the two warriors teleported away to continue their mission. They left behind bewildered soldiers and confused rebels. As more explosions went off in the streets outside, they stared each other down not knowing what to do. Someone had sparked this skirmish, but now it was clear that neither side was in control.

* * *

 **Central Columbia**

The cocaine trade was Columbia's most famous and most profitable industry. Few illicit drugs required the kind of firepower with which to operate. As part of the global drug trade, the immense profits fueled a large guerilla army within the jungles of Columbia.

That army relied on a constant supply of weapons and supplies from the cartels. With such ordinance, they waged war on both the government and international law enforcement. Since their bases were so remote, they had to be shipped in via helicopter. A particularly large shipment was just arriving at a central base near a drug lord's villa.

"There must have been a sale or something. The boss is buying up a lot of heavy arms," said one the guerilla leaders as he and some associates led in a large transport helicopter.

"Perhaps he's planning a coup. Or maybe that rumor about a new cartel taking over is true," said another soldier as he observed more incoming helicopters through a pair of binoculars.

"If someone is going to start shooting, they had better do it quickly. My brother told me there's some strange activity coming in from the Columbian defense ministry."

"Your brother is a drunk. I'm sure he's exaggerating."

"Why don't you shut up about my brother and get ready to unload these arms. You know mafia types can be when they're running late."

The two guerillas dispensed with the rumors and joined up with some on-duty mercenaries that were prepared to unload the merchandise. Doing business with arms dealers was always swift. They had to stay a step ahead of the law and the competition. One slip up and all their profits would be in danger.

The first of five helicopters was set to land. Then from the nearby jungle brush, a series of concentrated red energy blasts shot out and struck the helicopters. The blasts hit their tails, causing the aircrafts to spin out of control and crash. One by one, each was hit before any of them could even realize what was going on and take evasive action. The bewildered guerillas could do nothing but watch as their merchandise went up in flame.

"Holy shit! What the hell was that? Did the mob just screw us over again?" exclaimed one of the guerillas.

"No wait! Look!" exclaimed the lead guerilla.

The still baffled soldiers watched as five Weapon X soldiers leapt down from the trees. Their eyes still glowing, they fired off more optic blasts to ensure that none of the weapons could be salvaged.

" _Wage your wars another way,"_ they all said, _"The bloodshed ends today."_

* * *

 **Mogadishu, Somalia**

"Get back! Get the fuck back or I'll use you all as target practice!" shouted an enraged militiaman as he fired his AK-47 into the air.

"Please! We need that aid," cried a sickly woman holding a baby, "My child hasn't eaten in three days!"

"So feed it dirt for all I care!" shouted another imposing militiaman.

It was an ugly scene in downtown Mogadishu. This war-ravaged part of Africa had seen many of them. Endless bloodshed from angry warlords ensured that militias roamed the street with guns, shooting and killing whatever and whoever they pleased. The country was badly in need of aid. Western nations as well as other African nations sent large crates via air and convoy, but they often ended up in the hands of the warlords.

In the town square, the latest shipments of aid were hoarded around an old market. When word of this arrival spread over a thousand impoverished civilians stormed out into the streets in hopes of getting whatever they could. They were all disappointed to find out that the local warlord had twenty heavily armed militiamen in trucks firing off automatic rifles to dissuade anyone from getting this aid.

"Listen up and listen good!" proclaimed one of the militiaman from atop a crate, "This aid belongs to the warlord and he'll decide if your children are worth his time. Until then, anyone that gets greedy will be shot."

"Fuck you!" shouted an old man who had been reduced to bones from a lack of food.

"Hey! You want to say that again?" threatened the militiaman as he pointed his gun out into the crowd, "Don't put me in a bad mood or I will take it out on all of you!"

The militiamen were through with warning shots. They turned their weapons on the civilians, who appeared increasingly desperate. They were about to fire when out of nowhere, five Weapon X warriors appeared around them. Since they had already killed civilians, the warriors didn't warn them before disarming them.

" _You will cease this needless killing,"_ said one of the warriors.

"Who dares fuck with our-ARGH!"

That was the most any militiaman got out. Each had their weapons ripped out via telekinesis or shredded by claws. Only a few managed to get shots off. They did no damage against the warriors thanks to their healing and Warpath's durability. Those that continued fighting were stabbed and left to die. Others were shoved off with telekinesis.

Within seconds, the militia was disarmed. Those who had been guarding the aid now had nothing to threaten the thousands of angry people with. When they saw an opportunity to get back at these ruthless militiamen, they took it.

"Fate has turned against them! Time to take what's ours!" shouted another woman that had two hungry children.

"Teach those bastards a lesson while you're at it!" yelled an old man as he and many others set their sights on the disarmed militiamen.

As the Weapon X warriors disappeared, the militia was quickly overrun. The surviving men were overwhelmed and beaten to death. The crates of aid were cracked open and the contents were hoarded by the hungry people. There was jubilance as well as anxiety. With the militias now losing their grip, a new kind of chaos took hold.

* * *

 **Xinjiang, China - Aksu**

" _Attention all civilians! Attention all civilians! By order from Beijing, this city is officially under martial law. Return to your homes this instant. Those who violate will be severely punished."_

Police crackdowns were a way of life in this region of China. Ethnic tensions ensured that conflict was always just one shot away. Sometimes conflict from the neighboring central Asian countries had a way of filtering in. However, the police never needed a reasonable explanation from Beijing to intimidate the local populous. Few civilians were in a position to question them.

It was during the early morning bustle within the central markets when police convoys started rolling down the streets. Confused civilians quickly stopped what they were doing and ran for cover. The convoys didn't give them much time either.

A long line of light-armored vehicles swarmed the streets at a brisk pace. They carried the flag of the Chinese government as well as a contingent of armed Chinese officers. When people didn't move fast enough, they fired their guns off into the air. This was usually enough to get them moving faster.

"What is happening, father? Why are they bullying us like this?" asked a young boy to his father, who had to leave his fruit stand behind.

"Don't waste time getting upset, my son. You'll only get yourself into more trouble," said the anxious man, "Now move faster and help me find your mother!"

The man pushed his son along as more anxious people fled the streets. The convoy was approaching fast and they showed little regard for anyone in their way. Because of the large crowds, not everyone was able to get out of the way. They were in a position to be run over completely. Cries were already ringing out through the streets. This had all the makings of a very violent crackdown.

The convoy was just about to reach the man and his son. Then in the middle of the street, two Weapon X soldiers appeared in a brief flash. Their presence went largely unnoticed by the panicked civilians. Yet they did not move. They stood in the path of the convoy and were prepared to stop it.

"You in the masks! Move this instant or we will run you over!" yelled one of the officers through a bull horn.

" _No…you will not,"_ said the two warriors.

Without flinching in the slightest, the two warriors unleashed powerful optic blasts that hit the lead vehicle. The force of this blast stopped it cold, causing the officer with the bull horn to fall right out.

"Whoa! We've got hostiles!" said one of the officers.

"Take them down!" yelled another.

Officers from the now wrecked convoy and the vehicles behind it took out their weapons and prepared to shoot. More Weapon X warriors appeared around them. As they appeared, they unleashed waves of telekinetic force to both disarm and knock out the armed men. Their vehicles were shredded by claw swipes and brute strength. Using their agility, the warriors leapt from vehicle to vehicle. They systematically disarmed the police, which caught the attention of the civilians.

"Who are those people, papa?" asked the boy as he watched on with fascination.

"I don't know, son. I really don't know," said the man with equal intrigue.

"Are they here to help us?"

"I think it's a bit more complicated than that," the man mused, "I think I may also know why Beijing is so troubled. For once, I actually share their concern."

* * *

 **White House – Oval Office**

"Somebody pick up! In the name of everything holy, somebody at the Pentagon better pick up the damn phone!" exclaimed an anxious President Kelly.

"I don't mean to be fatalistic, Mr. President. But if they haven't responded by now, they're either too busy or too dead to answer," said one of eight Secret Service Agents currently surrounding the President's desk.

"Under current protocols, we have to assume the worst," said another agent, "That means get you, the Vice President, and the whole cabinet out of here and into a secure location."

"Every major military installation on the planet is being attacked right now. Even minor installations are taking a hit. That begs the question…is there such a thing as a secure location at this point?"

It was a daunting question with disturbing implications. President Kelly was on the front lines of this sudden assault. An hour ago, he received word from the Joint Chiefs that some of their most important military bases were being attacked by figures wielding mutant abilities. If that wasn't disturbing enough, these same figures bore uniforms consistent with White Cell. After the incident at Purity Church, the severity of the situation was inescapable.

As Commander-in-Chief, his country was taking the greatest hit. Reports from his ambassadors told a similar story all over the world. Leaders from Russia, China, Egypt, Israel, Germany, France, Brazil, South Africa, Brazil, and Great Britain were sending distress calls of every kind. Yet if even the most powerful military on the planet couldn't seem to fend off this attack.

It left him with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He was among those who told Professor Xavier and the MSA to back off White Cell. Now that decision was haunting him in the worst possible way.

The President continued restlessly gripping his desk while he tried contacting his people at the Pentagon. He was using a secure phone that was only supposed to be used in the worst of crises. He kept getting the same busy signal. His Secret Service personnel were silently urging him to leave. They all had their weapons drawn. They were ready to fight their way out of the White House if he had to.

"Mr. President…" began another agent.

"I heard you the first time!" said President Kelly as he slammed the phone down on the desk, "I'm leaving already. Is my family already out of here?"

"They're already in a bunker outside the city. They're waiting for us as we speak," said another agent.

"We've got an armored convoy waiting for you, sir," said the lead agent, who wielded an M-16 assault rifle, "Follow us and we'll make sure you…"

The agent was then cut off by a sudden flash and appearance of five Weapon X warriors. They each appeared around the front of the President's desk. They didn't have their claws drawn, but the Secret Service still reacted immediately.

"Intruder!" exclaimed one of the agents.

"Scratch that, we'll make sure right now," said one the lead agent as he raised his M-16.

" _You will do nothing but surrender peacefully,"_ said one of the warriors.

The Secret Service agents didn't even get a shot off. Utilizing telekinetic power gained from Hellion, each warrior ripped the weapons away from each agent. Both the guns they were holding and the weapons they had in holsters were levitated above their heads and crushed like tin cans. Each agent was as amazed as they were wary. They still surrounded the President with every intention of protecting him.

"Stay back! I'm warning you!" yelled the lead agent.

"Get down, Mr. President!" said another agent, "We'll take care of this."

"After what they just did, I sincerely doubt that," said President Kelly, expressing little confidence in this deteriorating situation.

" _Do not resist. Our mission is not to harm you,"_ said one of Weapon X warriors in his mechanical tone.

"Then what the hell do you want?" exclaimed President Kelly, fighting off the grip of one of his agents, "Are you part of this ridiculous attack? What is White Cell trying to do with this stunt?"

"This is not a stunt. White Cell's role is irrelevant. Now if you value your people and your country, you will listen."

* * *

 **Skies Over Canada - Velocity**

It was an awkward feeling for the X-men, defying both Professor Xavier and the authorities they swore to respect. It was a dangerous mission in and of itself. White Cell was a powerful private army with legions of mutants and highly trained soldiers at their disposal. Going after them without a full team or any backup from the authorities was foolhardy at best. As they received news about the worldwide attacks, it became painfully apparent that they were the only ones left to oppose this attack.

"Looks like someone is trying to put us hard-working mercenaries out of business," commented Deadpool from the passenger area, "All the armies and all the guns are disappearing faster than one of Black Tom's two-for-one deals. You should see the shit that's trending on Twitter."

"No need to remind us, Deadpool. They haven't attacked the internet or cell phone service yet," said Jean Grey, who was getting some of the reports through her phone.

"This is some attack. Can't say it's very smart, but this video from the Japanese navy shows it's pretty dang effective," said Rogue, who was watching a news report on her phone as well, "Ah'll bet every army and gun enthusiast in the world is freaking out."

"That may be what makes this here attack smart, chere," commented Remy, who was sitting next to Rogue, "This attack ain't aimed at civilians. It's aimed at the very thing they expect to protect them."

"I agree. It's quite devious," said Fantomex, who remained remarkably calm, "It also makes sense. White Cell is a private military. What better way to establish its dominance than taking out the competition?"

"You think that's all this is? An elaborate marketing ploy to establish a monopoly on war?" said Jean.

"If so, I can't wait to see Michael Moore make an award-winning documentary out of it," said Deadpool.

"If there is a Weapon X element as there certainly appears to be, I doubt money is the prime motivator," said Fantomex, "We'll only know the full story once we reach the base and extract the answers for ourselves."

"That's assuming we don't get the tar beat outta us," said Rogue, cringing as she saw footage of the attackers sinking a cruiser.

"What can I say? I'm a hopeless optimist," said Fantomex.

If he was genuinely confident about their ability to overcome Weapon X's army, then he was the only one. Rogue, Remy, and Jean saw one too many reasons to be anxious.

More footage was leaking onto the internet by the second. Images of these powerful Weapon X warriors that were built in the mold of Wolverine and armed with a variety of powers showed that they were more than capable of wiping out any major fighting force. From governments to criminals, there was no stopping them.

Despite many daunting concerns, the X-men weren't going in without some tactical advantage. Up in the cockpit, Hank and Ororo were flying the Velocity carefully towards their destination. Sage sat in a seat behind them working on her laptop. She had with her a few other tools from her lab, each of which were hooked up to her system.

Using the signal that Jean uncovered with Cerebrum, she guided the Velocity towards their destination. They were closing in on White Cell's base. To stand a chance against them, she would need to use that psychic signal in another creative way.

"We're getting uncomfortably close to the base, Sage. Is that hackers trick you told us about ready?" asked Ororo anxiously, who was monitoring the main scope.

"Not quite," said Sage, who was working feverishly on a very special program, "It'll be ready sooner if you stop pestering me about it."

"I'm not pestering you. Just because you're dating my ex-boyfriend doesn't mean all my concerns are personal," said Ororo apprehensively.

"Take it easy, Ororo. She knows what she's doing," coaxed Hank.

"I don't doubt that she is. I only doubt that it'll be ready in time," she said anxiously, "We've been picking up distress calls from every military base within a fifty-mile radius. White Cell is attacking and they're doing quite a bit of damage!"

"Timing won't matter if White Cell overwhelms us the minute we strike. That's assuming they won't detect us beforehand," argued Sage, keeping her emotions turned off so she could concentrate, "That's why we need this to work. We don't have the firepower to overcome White Cell's current forces."

"That's not mere pessimism either. That is objective fact," added Hank, "Even if we had the MSA's backing, these very Wolverine-esque operatives would likely overwhelm them in the same way they're overwhelming every other army in the world."

"I'm trying _not_ come off as a bitter ex-girlfriend here, but based on what James told me about White Cell I fear we're up against more than just overwhelming force," said Ororo, watching as the target area approached on the scope.

"Even if those fears are warranted, they have just as much reason to fear us as well," retorted Sage, "We've had three days to analyzing the sample. That's a lot of time for two brilliant minds, one of which happens to be part computer. It's more than enough time for us to uncover a weakness."

Her words sounded confident. Since she had her emotions turned off, Ororo couldn't tell from her tone just how certain she was. She thought she had moved beyond the awkwardness surrounding Hank and Sage. Some of that sentiment came from having to rely on Sage to make this operation succeed.

One issue where they were all in agreement was the scale of White Cell's forces. They could not overcome them directly and sneaking in wasn't an option given their lack of intelligence. They needed an edge of a different kind. Sage and Hank were confident they could provide it.

Not many shared their level of confidence, but Fantomex was among the few. Having not made any friends in the passengers area, he made his way up towards the cockpit so he could be closer to Sage. Due to the techno-organic material in his body, he still had a strange fixation with her. Even as she kept her emotions turned off, he could still sense her uneasiness around him.

"Speaking of that weakness, are you ever going to _properly_ thank me for retrieving this sample in the first place?" he asked.

"Hey! Don't I get to ask for a thank you as well?" said Deadpool from the passenger area, "I took a grenade to the face for that gunk."

"Thought you said you just took ten bullets, homme," commented Remy.

"Apples and oranges, man! They're both still fruit," he argued.

"I'll only consider thanking you if this works, Fantomex," said Sage, not taking her eyes off her computer screen, "You may just be lucky that you stumbled upon this sample. White Cell seems to enjoy maintaining tight controls over its operations. Since they're not afraid to employ mutants, it's only natural that they would turn to psionics."

"You're trying to change the subject," said Fantomex as he moved in closer.

"You're even luckier that this sample seems to be tuned into White Cell's channels," Sage went on, talking as though her techno-jargon would chase Fantomex away, "Using some hastily-assembled equipment from my lab, Hank and I were able to slap together a psionic jammer within three days. If I can configure it properly, I can use my own telepathy to send out a signal that will jam White Cell's psionic controls. The effect will be localized, but it should give us a window to…"

"You're not going to talk me into submission, Sage. You can't avoid what I am. Nor will you be able to should we win the day."

Sage's emotions cracked through her computer-like focus. Even as the program was nearing completion, she felt the effect Fantomex was having on her. It was as if the techno-organic material inside him was drawing her to him as much as it was to her. It was deeply distressing, especially with Hank present.

"We don't have time for this," she told him, "What do you want from me anyways?"

"I imagine it's the same thing you want from me. You're just hiding it behind a computer screen," he replied.

"Your logic is flawed, Fantomex. I want _nothing_ from you," said Sage as she tried to resume her work.

"This is not about logic. This goes _much_ deeper than logic. I didn't just come to you for help because I knew you could crack the code behind that sample. My trust in you runs much deeper."

"Need I remind you that I'm currently controlling this aircraft and you're not wearing a seatbelt, Fantomex?" said Hank angrily from the cockpit, "I'm more than willing to compromise our position if it stops you from harassing my girlfriend."

"Do as you wish, Hank. We're all on the same sinking ship," said Fantomex, "There are still personal ties that you cannot understand. I'm just trying to confront them before they confront us."

Hank squeezed the controls to the Velocity, showing that he was indeed tempted to pull a barrel roll just to make Fantomex uncomfortable. Ororo waved him down. Even though she wasn't too friendly with Sage, she didn't concern her nearly as much as Fantomex.

Sage continued to ignore Fantomex's penetrating gaze. It was hard to avoid. She tried completing her work on her program. The device she had hooked up to her laptop was almost ready. They would be over the base soon and ready to make their move.

"I need to concentrate," she told Fantomex, "We'll address this when the time is right."

"Is that a promise?" he asked her coyly, "What's wrong with touching on it now?"

Fantomex was prepared to probe deeper with this woman. Then the Velocity was unexpectedly rocked with turbulence. It wasn't just Hank taking his frustration out on Fantomex either. Something had struck them from the outside.

"Whoa! What was that?" exclaimed Jean from the passengers area.

"I hope that wasn't an elaborate act of jealousy," said Fantomex, who hung onto a nearby seat to keep his balance.

"We've got incoming! The scopes are picking up two…no, three air-born threats!" announced Ororo.

"What kind of threats are we talkin' about here?" asked Rogue.

"Don't tell me these guys splurged on an F-22 or something," said Deadpool.

"Oh dear," said Hank as he saw the threat coming in strong, "You had best look outside and see for yourself."

Ororo, Jean, Remy, Rogue, Deadpool, and Fantomex all clamored around the windows. They quickly saw what Hank was referring to. Flying at high speeds in the distance where three humanoid figures.

They all resembled the Wolverine-like attackers that they saw in the reports from the military. Except they demonstrated a trick no one had reported yet. Protruding from their backs were a pair of techno-organic wings that resembled Warren's. Each attacker used those wings as skillfully as Warren as they flew around for another attack.

"Is this sufficient reason to give me the time and space I need?" asked Sage as she continued to work despite the turbulence.

"Do as you must," said Fantomex as he strapped himself into a seat, "Rest assure, this isn't over."

"How much more time do you need?" asked Jean, "We've lost the element of surprise and we'll lose much more if we crash!"

"I just need a little bit longer," said Sage, turning her emotions off once again so she could concentrate, "As soon as I jam their psionics, we can begin our attack!"

"I can't make any promises, my dear! But I urge you to expedite the process!" said Hank as he began evasive maneuvers with the Velocity, "Because on another illogical level, the attack has already begun!"

Fantomex, Deadpool, and the X-men braced themselves as the three winged attackers swooped in for another attack. White Cell knew they had arrived. If Sage's plan was going to work, it had to work now. The attackers were bold enough to take down every military on the planet. They would have no qualms about taking down the X-men.

" _Kill all those who threaten our peace!"_ proclaimed the three attackers, _"Peace through honor! Peace through blood!"_

* * *

 **Up next: Crimes Against Inhumanity Part 3**


	16. Issue 164: Crimes Against Inhumanity 3

**Issue #164  
Crimes Against Inhumanity Part 3**

* * *

 _In a world that hates and fears mutants, Professor Charles Xavier fights for peace and understanding. Together with his X-men, he confronts many threats that would seek to spark an all-out war. They also confront threats that have brought the world to the brink of destruction. However, the X-men now face a very different kind of threat._

 _It started with the massacre of William Stryker's Purifiers. A group of mysterious attackers built in the mold of Wolverine and Weapon X demonstrated level of destruction that Professor Xavier was determined to confront. He suspected a connection with the recent events concerning Sebastian Shaw and White Cell._

 _However, before he could probe further, the authorities that he has worked so hard to trust under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative ordered him to stand down. The reasons General Grimshaw gave hardly sit well for the world's most powerful mind. This order deeply frustrates the X-men, so much so that some began working secretly to find these mysterious attackers._

 _With unexpected help from Fantomex and Deadpool, they find the source of this threat. However, they were too late to stop White Cell's attack. Led by Wolverine's estranged father, Romulus, an army of Weapon X warriors began attacking every major military force on the planet. X-Force is paralyzed. The X-men are undermanned and outgunned. Unless one side gets a stroke of luck, no one will be capable of stopping Romulus._

* * *

 **White Cell Base – Front Gate**

White Cell's main complex had been locked down. Every squad was in position. Every square inch of the facility was manned. Each squad was comprised of elite forces armed with White Cell's best agility-enhancing combat suits, ensuring they were ready to take on any threat foolish enough to attack.

The main alpha unit that consisted of Guardian, Vindicator, Northstar, Aurora, Puck, Karma, Sasquatch, Typhoid Mary, and Agent Zero were tasked with guarding the main gate. From the looks of it, the facility was as secure as possible. It would take the military force of an entire country to get through their defenses.

"Well, I think it's official," said Guardian, "This base is locked down tighter than Fort Knox, the White House, and the Federal Reserve _combined_."

"That doesn't mean someone won't attack, Jim," said Puck.

"True, but even if they did they wouldn't get far. Not with the hardware we've got," he said confidently.

"You don't think this is overkill on the boss's part?" asked Vindicator.

"Overkill is underrated. Isn't that one of White Cell's mottos?" said Aurora.

"If not, it should be," said Puck.

The alpha unit had plenty of reasons to be confident. The base, which covered over 3,000 acres of rural Canadian land, was walled off by segments of tall gates behind large concrete walls. Along those walls were gun posts and sniper towers. Further in were a battery of anti-aircraft installments, most of which was automated. These elaborate defenses surrounded a series of ordinary-looking buildings. Very few had access to all of them. They were considered the most vital structures of the White Cell organization.

As confident as they were, there was still a sense of anxiety throughout the base. The boss had never ordered these kinds of defenses before. Recently, most if not all their major forces were instructed to pull back and fortify their bases. No reason was given.

Rumors swirled of a new threat. Since they were on a strict communications blackout, they had no idea what that threat entailed. Their only role was to remain alert until ordered otherwise.

"Any idea how long we're supposed to stay on alert like this?" wondered Sasquatch.

"The boss never gives orders with time frames," said Northstar, "But from what Daken told me, it shouldn't be for more than a day. He says that's all the time the boss will need."

"You sure your boy toy is trustworthy?" said Sasquatch skeptically.

"I can never tell how serious he. All his off-beat mannerisms blend into being an overall asshole," said Karma skeptically.

"He knows the boss personally so I'm inclined to trust him. And it isn't just because we occasionally sleep together," said Northstar strongly.

" _Sure_ it isn't," said Aurora, rolling his eyes, "Didn't you say the same thing about that fighter pilot in Fresno?"

"Hey! Don't bring David into this," said Northstar defensively.

"Don't start, you two," said Guardian sternly, "I don't care what Daken says. We have our orders. So long as everyone stays at their posts, we should…"

Guardian was interrupted by a strange noise emanating from his combat suit. Without warning the complex components inside started twitching erratically. It caused Guardian's body to move and stretch in uncomfortable ways. At the same time, Vindicator's combat suit was facing similar problems.

"Uh…I'm guessing this isn't you taking up yoga, Jim," said Puck as he, Sasquatch, Aurora, Northstar, and Karma watched anxiously.

"Ow! Damn it! Does it look like I'm getting in touch with my inner chi?" grunted Guardian, the suit causing his knees to buckle.

"It's our combat suits! Something's wrong with the circuits," said Vindicator, falling flat on her back.

"This is a hell of a time for these fancy gizmos to go on the fritz," said Sasquatch as he tried to help Vindicator up.

Then to everyone's amazement, Agent Zero and Typhoid Mary stepped forward. They each took out their weapons and scanned the area for threats. They clearly sensed something that the others weren't.

"It is _not_ a malfunction," said Typhoid Mary in menacing tone.

"There is signal disruption. Someone is overriding the psionic circuits in the suits," said Agent Zero in his usual flat tone.

"So why the hell aren't you two getting the chiropractor treatment?" grunted Guardian as he continued wrestling with his suit.

"Our interface is older and less advanced. We are not affected by psionic disruption," said Typhoid Mary, "The same cannot be said for our compatriots."

The alpha unit looked around and realized what Typhoid Mary was referring to. All around the base, the battle suits of the elite forces were malfunctioning as well. The suits that were supposed to make them the best soldiers they could be had rendered them defenseless. While they could only see the units immediately behind them, it was safe to assume that every unit on the base was facing this mysterious glitch.

"MY SUIT! THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?" yelled one of the snipers in a nearby tower.

"SOMEONE CALL TECH SUPPORT! FIRE THEM IF THEY DON'T ANSWER!" yelled one of the unit commanders guarding the anti-aircraft battery.

"DON'T THESE THINGS HAVE AN OFF BUTTON?" groaned one of the nearby patrol units.

It sounded bad. If the units in their immediate area were suffering, then it was safe to assume that every unit on the base was dealing with this.

"Ooh, that can't be good!" groaned Karma.

"What were you saying about this base being locked down, Jim?" asked Puck as he and Northstar tried to help Guardian.

"Shut up and issue the emergency protocols!" grunted Guardian, "Looks like someone is actually stupid enough to attack us."

While Puck and Northstar tried to keep their unit leader from falling flat on his face, another unexpected turn literally fell upon them. Less than twenty feet away from their post three Weapon X warriors came crashing down like a downed fighter jet.

They hit with such force that they left a small indent in the concrete. Their techno-organic wings were misshapen. Their body suits were sparking erratically, showing similar malfunctions to the ones that the rest of the base was experiencing. The alpha unit hadn't seen the Weapon X units before, but they understood that this was bad.

" _That_ can't be good either," groaned Karma.

"Knock it off, Karma! We already know how bad this is," exclaimed Northstar.

"No…we do not," said Typhoid Mary as she and Agent Zero looked up.

The alpha unit felt an ominous gust of wind swirl around them. Sensing there was something else at work, they dreaded looking up at what their stoic associates had sensed. Sure enough, more problems literally descended towards them.

Riding a stream of high winds and telekinesis, the X-men landed not far from where the Weapon X warriors had crashed. Phoenix, Storm, Rogue, Gambit, Beast, Sage, Fantomex, and Deadpool arrived at a base rendered impotent thanks to a convenient glitch. The source of that glitch, Sage, was still carrying her laptop and the device Hank helped her make back in District X. Having departed the Velocity rather abruptly, they had to improvise.

"Ding dong! Did someone order a dozen pizzas with cheese and extra pain?" said Deadpool in his usual obnoxious tone.

"And for once we don't have to crash land in order to deliver," said Gambit, who had his bow staff out along with a fresh deck of cards.

"We got lucky. My psionic disruptor signal has crippled their units, but don't expect it to last for long," said Sage, remaining calm as Phoenix set her down along with Beast.

"We don't need it to," said Fantomex as he took out his guns, "We need only find where they keep their explosive ordinance. Basic chemistry will do the rest."

"That's only after we make sure X-Force and any other hostages these people have are secure," said Storm, who maintained her swirling winds.

"Then we had best make this quick," said Beast as the X-men approached the alpha unit, "Given our rather overt entrance, I'm certain our presence has had an effect!"

* * *

 **White Cell Base – Lab Core**

Everything was going as smoothly as Romulus had predicted. Having had over a century to plan this moment, he made sure that disruptions were kept to a minimum. He had his army of Weapon X warriors. The first generation emerged from their pods, retrieved their uniforms, and teleported into the heat of battle with perfect synchronicity.

"The armies of the world are falling fast," Romulus proclaimed as he monitored the operation, "In less than 24 hours, mankind will be reduced to fighting with sticks and stones once more."

"And then you can start rubbing it in everybody's face," snarled Sabretooth, "No wonder Wolverine is such an asshole. Like father like son."

"If I could move, I'd have already cut your head off," grumbled Wolverine, "The only thing that pisses me off more than your ugly mug is you being right."

Romulus neither listened to nor cared about his son's disapproval. X-Force had already made it painfully clear. They didn't care for his vision or the lengths he had gone to accomplish it. He no longer cared about convincing them. They would see for themselves soon enough.

By now, nearly every Weapon X warrior had emerged from their pods. There were thousands of them, each armed with X-Force's abilities. They old prototypes that had conducted the tests on X-Force had long since been disposed of. Now Cyclops, Angel, Warpath, Domino, Nightcrawler, Emma Frost, and Hellion were back on the examination tables while Wolverine, Sabretooth, and X-23 reamined strapped into the special pods that had them relieve so many painful memories. They all had to watch Romulus coordinate this ambitious operation.

Using the special control gauntlet that fed right into the core, Romulus brought up various holographic images that depicted major military targets all over the world. In addition, there were real-time video feeds that looked like they came directly from the eyes of the Weapon X warriors.

In the feeds, X-Force saw these warriors destroy tanks, down fighter jets, sink ships, and blow up storage bunkers. It wasn't just militaries either. They attacked everything from organized crime to legitimate gun stores. They had been imbued with so much power and under Romulus's control, there was no stopping them.

"I gotta hand it to this guy. He's crazy, yet sane on an extremely messed up level," commented Hellion, his voice devoid of hope.

"Don't tell me you admire his so-called vision," said Emma Frost, still scolding him like a student.

"Doesn't matter if I admire it or not," scoffed Hellion, "From what I can see, it's clearly _working_."

"Don't believe everything you see, Julian," said Warpath, "Even if it's working, it hasn't succeeded yet."

"Well unless you guys are trying to make this a challenge, you would have done something already," retorted Hellion, "So much for X-Force being the team that could get things done. And to think…some mutants actually placed their trust in you."

"You're _not_ helping, Julian," said Emma with another scold.

"What's there to help? We're lying here paralyzed watching some guy fuck the world in his own unique way. Face it! You guys failed miserably and so did the X-men."

Hellion sounded as though the paralysis was getting to him, just as it had Cyclops. He was losing all sense of control and purpose. It was a feeling everyone else in X-Force fought. With every bit of damage that Romulus's Weapon X warriors inflicted, their hope continued to falter. So many things had gone wrong and time was running out.

"You should listen to this handsome young man here," said Daken, who was keeping an eye on X-Force, "Aside from his needless outrage, you should accept the fact that you cannot stop my grandfather's vision."

"I'll only consider that if you stop undressing everybody with your eyes," said Angel, "If it's _that_ hard to keep it in your pants, maybe you should cut it off."

"Amongst other zhings," added Nightcrawler.

"Insulting me certainly won't help your condition either," added Daken as he drew his claws and pointed them at the two X-men, "Regardless of how these events unfold, I can still make your stay with us very _unpleasant_."

"That would sound so much more menacing if your pants concealed your boner," chided Domino, further adding to Daken's frustration.

"Do you really believe that your grandfather will stop with this one vision?" questioned Cyclops, his voice every bit as strained as Hellion's, "He's created something he has no hopes of ever controlling. Even if he does, what's to stop him from pursuing another vision? One that involves destroying more than just weapons?"

"You're incessant whining is almost as infuriating as these petty insults," said Daken as he turned his claws towards Cyclops, "Need I remind you that you're still at our mercy? Your bodies are no longer yours to command!"

"You're the one in need of a reminder," seethed Cyclops, showing far less restraint than his teammates, "Control is more fragile than you think. You need only screw up for a split second before it bites you."

"Not to side with pretty boy here, but you're _really_ pushing it, Cyclops," warned Emma.

"I'll push as far as I damn well please!" he went on, "This guy either too arrogant or _stupid_ to see that he's just as paralyzed as us. He actually thinks his grandpappy over there won't screw him over."

Daken's harsh scowl turned to full on outrage. He had tolerated such remarks long enough. These dishonorable fools had to suffer and his grandfather was too preoccupied to stop him.

"I think I've been polite enough. Since you seem genuinely determined to be put out of your misery, I'm more than happy to oblige," said Daken as he held his claws to Cyclops's neck.

"Go ahead," taunted Cyclops, not seeming to care at this point.

Daken prepared to cut this young man up into an unrecognizable heap of bloody flesh. Three days of paralysis and Cyclops insisted on struggling. He either had many issues of his own or he was just that stupid.

Daken was about to cut into the X-Force leader. Then without warning, some unusual activity consumed the lab. The lights around the core flickered. Many of the holographic images throughout the chamber were jumbled with static. It threw Romulus off after being so confident earlier. It also caused Daken to hesitate.

"Hmm…this is disturbing," said Romulus in a stoic tone.

"What is it, Honorable Grandfather? Don't tell me we should start worrying!" said Daken, his claw still at Cyclops' neck.

Romulus didn't have to answer that question. While he and Daken were distracted with the flickering, the paralysis that had rendered X-Force paralyzed for the past three days unexpectedly wore off. As soon as Cyclops regained control, he made good use of it.

"Yeah, you should worry…a lot!" said the X-Force leader.

While still lying on the examination table, he reached for his visor and fired a punishing optic blast that hit Daken point blank. It wasn't a blast meant to stun either. Cyclops had his visor on a near-lethal setting. Even with Daken's durable form, he was sent tumbling back into one of the incubator pods.

"Finally! Someone shut that asshole up," said Warpath.

"And ve can move again. Zhat's even better!" said Nightcrawler.

"Any idea how? I refuse to believe this is a fluke of sorts," said Emma, who rushed to Hellion's aid.

"Why not? It makes everything _so_ much easier," grinned Domino as she rose up and drew her guns.

Not far from where Daken landed, Wolverine regained control over his body as well. As soon as he felt it, he let out a feral growl and tore through his restraints. X-23 and Sabretooth followed suit with equal fervor. They immediately set their sights on Romulus, who had no defenses after having sent his Weapon X warriors abroad.

"For the record, I still hate your guts, Wolverine. You and your little bitch here," snarled Sabretooth as he snorted towards X-23.

"We hate your ugly ass too, Sabretooth. But right now, who do you hate more?" questioned X-23.

"You even gotta ask?" said the feral mutant, not taking his eyes off Romulus.

"I don't like it any more than you, Creed. Lucky for you, I got daddy issue I need to work out!" said Wolverine as he drew his claws.

Wolverine, Sabretooth, and X-23 attacked Romulus without hesitation. The rest of X-Force still needed a moment to recover from their paralysis. They wanted a shot at Romulus too, but they were content to let the shadows of Weapon X soften him up.

Despite the sudden turn of events, Romulus remained undaunted. His stoic expression hardened as he watched his son lead the charge against him. He had been merciful to this point. Even though this mission was meant to end war, he wasn't afraid to fight back.

"My poor son…I'm disappointed in you," he said flatly.

"Likewise, paps!" snarled Wolverine, "HRRRRAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

Romulus didn't break a sweat even as Wolverine, Sabretooth, and X-23 closed in. Wolverine delivered the first blow, driving his claws right into Romulus's chest. The imposing figure didn't even try to avoid it. He simply endured it, only mildly flinching as if the pain was invigorating to him.

Then with Wolverine's claw still buried in him, Romulus grabbed his son's arm and flung him right towards X-23. She managed to avoid his incoming body by leaping up and using his torso as a spring board so she could get her own shot at Romulus.

"Sorry Wolverine! I'll make sure this hurts!" roared X-23.

"So will I," said Romulus flatly.

X-23 led with her claws, preparing to drive them right into Romulus's head. This time, the imposing mutant avoided the attack, reacting with reflexes so fast it looked like magic. Undeterred, X-23 drew the claws in her feet and as soon as she landed, she did a sweep kick. That cut right into Romulus's lower leg.

Again, he barely flinched from the gash. While he absorbed the young mutant's blow, Sabretooth snuck up behind him and pulled him into a choke hold.

"You move pretty fast, old man. Let's see you move outta this!" roared Sabretooth as he dug his claws into Romulus's neck.

"I don't have to," he replied.

While Sabretooth had him in a choke hold, X-23 moved in for another attack. This time Romulus didn't avoid the attack. Instead, he reached behind him and grabbed Sabretooth by his messy hair. Then with strength that surprised the feral mutant, he flipped him over his body and slammed him right on top of X-23 as though he were swatting a fly.

"Whoa shi-UNGH!" grunted Sabretooth as he hit the ground hard.

"Hnn…damn you, Creed," groaned X-23, now pinned beneath the feral mutant.

Romulus remained calm as he brushed himself off. Sabretooth ended up tearing off some of his flesh when he threw him, but he also ended up with a handful of Sabretooth's hair. Between his pain tolerance, his strength, and his agility he proved every bit the experienced fighter he claimed to be. Yet that didn't stop Wolverine from attempting another attack.

"Think making a fool of Sabretooth will make me maul you any less?" said Wolverine menacingly.

"Oh I know you won't stop, my son. It still won't do you any good," Romulus boasted.

"Maybe on my own, it won't. But in case you forgot, I got more than just the furball backing me up."

Romulus turned to his right where he saw X-Force gathering around him. Despite not having a healing factor, they shook off their paralysis. Cyclops, Angel, Warpath, Domino, Hellion, and Emma Frost were now ready to attack.

"Please tell me I'll get a shot at this guy," said Hellion.

"I wasn't going to dissuade it," said Emma Frost, already in her diamond form.

"After three days of this shit, we all deserve a shot!" said Angel.

"Your vision ends here, Romulus!" shouted Cyclops.

Romulus's stoic gaze finally gave way to annoyance. X-Force was proving more cumbersome than he expected. Looking back towards Daken, who was still wounded from Cyclops's optic blast, his patience finally wore thin.

"I tried to be merciful. I really did," he sighed.

"Good! That means we don't have to!" said Warpath as he prepared to attack.,

"Honestly, you act as though I have no backup plan."

Before Wolverine or X-Force could vent their frustrations on him, Romulus pressed a series of buttons his control gauntlet. This caused the flickering core to change colors, shifting from blue to red. As it did, X-Force was overcome by a familiar paralysis again. Whatever fluke allowed them to regain control was wiped out and this time it was exceptionally painful.

"Arrgggghhhh! Not again!" grunted X-23.

"Damn! Just when I had a newfound appreciation for control over my body," groaned Domino.

"And zhis time…it hurts!" grunted Nightcrawler.

With far less subtlety this time, Romulus issued new commands through his gauntlet. Cyclops, Angel, Warpath, Domino, Hellion, and Emma Frost were forced to saunter forward and kneel in front of Romulus. Wolverine, Sabretooth, and X-23 were forced to stand. Their bodies trembled and tensed painfully with every motion. Romulus made sure it was as uncomfortable as possible.

"I don't know how the psionic tracer was disrupted, but so long as the drug is still in your system it will have an effect," said Romulus sternly, "I need only utilize a fresh signal, which is much _harsher_ as you've probably noticed."

"Harsh…doesn't even begin to cover it," grunted Emma Frost.

"If it failed once…it'll fail again," said Sabretooth.

"It didn't fail. The core is merely picking up on a slight disturbance," said Romulus, "It would seem some old friends of yours were foolish enough to track down this base."

"Old friends? You mean the X-men!" said Cyclops.

"Don't get too excited. Even if they can disrupt my signal, it's doubtful they'll make it through my defenses," said Romulus, "My alpha unit should keep them at bay."

"Clearly, you don't know the X-men very well," said Wolverine, "They'll find a way to ruin your day!"

"Not on this day," said Romulus with burning determination, "Their fate will be no different than yours, if not _messier_. Make no mistake, I won't take chances."

While maintaining firm control over X-Force, Romulus turned towards Daken. He was still sore from Cyclops blast, but his healing had kicked in and he was back on his feet.

"Daken!" said Romulus in a commanding tone.

"Ugh…yes, Honorable Grandfather?" groaned Daken.

"Head to the surface and check in with the alpha unit. See what's causing this disturbance. Do not hesitate to take it out if you see the chance," said Romulus as he leered over Wolverine and X-Force.

"It will be done," he said, pushing aside the pain and heading for the elevators, "Just out of curiosity, what do you plan to do with our ill-mannered guests?"

"That depends entirely on how much this disturbance persists. If my carefully planned vision is threatened, I may have to take some rather _extreme_ measures."

* * *

 **White Cell Base – Front Gate**

The alpha unit was taken aback by the X-men's presence. Guardian, Vindicator, Northstar, Aurora, Puck, Karma, Sasquatch, Typhoid Mary, and Agent Zero were left vulnerable in ways they didn't expect.

Nearly all their elite units had been crippled thanks to a convenient malfunction in their battle suits. If the X-men were the source of this malfunction, then White Cell protocols dictated that they attack. Some were inclined to do so, but others held back. Northstar, Aurora, and Karma waved their comrades down. Having worked with John Proudstar in the past, they did not see the X-men as enemies.

"What are you waiting for? A written invitation?" exclaimed Guardian, "Attack them already!"

"Wait!" urged Aurora, "This must be a misunderstanding. These are the X-men."

"And a few guest stars. You know how comic fans _love_ team ups!" said Deadpool as he pointed his guns at Aurora.

"Stand down, Deadpool. Stop listening to your demented impulses for just a moment," coaxed Beast.

"You've got thirty seconds max," said Deadpool, not lowering his gun.

"Some of these people are friends," Beast went on, "It could not hurt to explain our actions. We could certainly use their help."

"Sorry, but the boss's orders don't include helping intruders," said Puck.

"Whatever you're doing to our units, you better fix it now or we'll _make_ you," said Sasquatch with an angry snarl.

"Ah'd like to see you try," said Rogue, cracking her knuckles in preparation.

"No! No one has to try anything foolish," urged Aurora, "Something is obviously going on here that none of us understand."

There was plenty of inclination to attack, but there were growing reservations as well. They never questioned the boss's orders before. They had never been this extreme before either. If the X-men deemed it a threat, then perhaps there was something to it. They couldn't afford to ignore it.

However, these reservations were not shared by Agent Zero or Typhoid Mary. Their damaged minds were not capable of feeling such uncertainty. Their orders were clear. Rather than allow Aurora to disrupt them any further, they carried out their protocols.

"Protocol is protocol," said Agent Zero flatly, "Contain the attackers."

"Containment maneuver beta," said Typhoid Mary, "Orders are to _kill_."

Ignoring Aurora's presence, Agent Zero drew his guns and unloaded half-a-clip of ammunition towards Sage. Rogue instinctively flew into the path of the bullets, using her invulnerable form to shield her. Typhoid Mary followed by drawing two long blades from the wrist of her custom combat suit.

In addition, she formed a sizeable telekinetic bubble around her and unleashed it right at the waiting X-men. Phoenix picked up on this and instinctively blocked it with a shield of her own, causing the air around them to burst in a thunderous boom.

"They've got a telekinetic!" said Phoenix as she stood next to Sage.

"The ringing in my ears could have told me _that_ , Phoenix!" said Fantomex, "I take it this means talking out our disagreements is no longer an option?"

"These thirty seconds were up anyways," said Deadpool as he started shooting.

"You guys are making a mistake!" said Northstar as he used his speed to avoid the bullets.

"So are you by being in our way," said Fantomex.

Clearing up any misunderstandings was now out of the question. The alpha unit's orders were clear. They had to defend the base. The first shots had already been fired and there was no going back. With lingering reluctance, they attacked the X-men.

Phoenix stayed on Typhoid Mary while Rogue drew Agent Zero's fire. Deadpool sent most of his bullets in Northstar's direction, who in turn used his speed to literally run circles around the menacing mercenary. Fantomex set his sights on Sasquatch while Gambit confronted Puck. Karma set her sights on Storm, who was keeping increasing the cloud cover overhead to further add to the X-men's advantage.

Beast lingered next to Sage with only Aurora, who was no longer as reluctant to attack. As the commotion unfolded, she scrambled to get Guardian and Vindicator to safety.

"Still want to play pacifist, Aurora?" questioned Vindicator, still wrestling with her suit.

"They started shooting at my brother. That's a deal-breaker for me," groaned Aurora as she turned back towards Beast, "He was right! You _are_ making a mistake!"

"We may both be at fault here, Aurora. We don't need to add to it," coaxed Beast.

"It's too late for that, Beast. Friend or no friend, I have my orders," she said solemnly.

Fueled by duty and anger, Aurora took to the air and unleashed a barrage of her rainbow-colored light blasts towards Beast. The blasts resembled a real aurora and packed much more of an impact. In an effort to protect Sage and her equipment, he took her in his powerful arms and leapt out of the way.

"Umf! Careful, Hank. I need this gear to stay intact," she told him.

"I'll do my best, but for the record…I don't do my best work with such _unreasonable_ restrictions," said Beast.

While Beast was avoiding Aurora's attacks, Karma anxiously looked up at Storm who was still hovering in mid-air. By now she had covered the base with her thick storm clouds. Lightning and thunder rumbled ominously from above. She was prepared to unleash a full-fledged hurricane on the base. While Karma had a deep respect for the X-men due to her history with John Proudstar, she couldn't allow them to cripple the base.

"Whatever you're doing, Storm…you must stop!" said Karma strongly, "Don't make me attack your mind!"

"I will not back down. Especially if James is involved like I think he is," said Storm, her eyes glowing bright white.

"If that's how you want to play it…" said Karma, whose eyes started glowing as well.

With a somewhat heavy heart, Karma used her telepathic abilities to take over Storm's mind. She tried to shield it through intense focus, but it wasn't enough. Karma broke through. As soon as she entered her psyche, the white glow in Storm's eyes turned purple and the winds surrounding her were redirected.

"Ungh! You're good…for a child," grunted Storm as she fought the telepathic attack.

"My parents fought in the rice patties of Vietnam when they were half my age," said Karma as she redirected Storm's winds, "You don't know what you're up against."

"Youth still has its liabilities," said Storm, who noticed something that the young mutant hadn't.

Karma was so focused on taking over Storm with her powers that she didn't notice Rogue grabbing Agent Zero behind her. The man fought like a machine, firing his guns as if someone else was controlling his arms. Each shot from his 45 caliber pistols did no damage to Rogue's durable form. So when she took to the air and charged him, his machine-like mind didn't counter the threat fast enough. After taking a few bullets to the face, she knocked his guns out of his hands and grabbed him by the neck.

"My…mission," grunted Agent Zero, sounding like his brain was short circuiting, "Cannot…not failing."

"Better work on that grammar, sugah," said Rogue as she turned towards Storm, "Hey Storm! _This_ ought to help your forecast."

With Karma still distracted, Rogue threw the dazed Agent Zero threw the air like a javelin. The young psychic didn't even realize he was coming until he impacted her from behind. It caused Karma to fall flat on her face and lose her telepathic hold on Storm. She was left mildly concussed while Agent Zero looked like he needed to do the mental equivalent of a reboot.

"Thanks Rogue! I'll take this to higher ground," said Storm as she ascended into the clouds overhead.

"How much damage are you gonna have Mother Nature do to this place?" asked Rogue as she watched on.

"As much as necessary," she replied, "Sage says we have a narrow window. I intend to widen it while sending a clear message to anyone inside."

Rogue wasn't going to get in her way. Storm knew what she was doing. She might be trying to upstage Sage after she did with the psionic signal. She might also genuinely believe that James was inside. If that were the case, then Scott and the others were probably inside as well.

"The things we do for boyfriends and ex-boyfriend," she sighed.

Remaining in the air, Rogue turned her attention back towards the other battles unfolding around her. She quickly turned her attention to the battle between Gambit and Puck, which was also affecting the battle between Deadpool and Northstar.

Puck and Northstar were tag-teaming against their respective targets. Northstar used his speed to avoid Deadpool's bullets and Puck used his ability to manipulate kinetic energy to land a few punishing blows. Utilizing a cartwheel-like motion, Puck was able to turn himself into a guided missile of sorts that wasn't stopped by bullets or charged cards.

"Ain't none of you ever stop and question the orders you be given?" asked Gambit as he ducked to narrowly avoid the incoming Puck.

"You're one to talk. I thought X-men were government stooges now! Where's your backup?" teased Puck as he landed briefly so he could redirect himself.

"We did our questioning. Didn't like the answers we got," quipped Gambit as he charged a fresh deck of cards.

"That's why I love working for White Cell. We don't need to ask questions!" said Puck.

Upon building up more kinetic energy, Puck turned his attention towards Northstar. He was still running circles around Deadpool, who was just wasting bullets at this point trying to hit him.

"Anyone want to lend old Wade a hand? I'm getting dizzy here and I had tacos for lunch!" Deadpool yelled out.

"Hey Northstar!" Puck called out, "Want me to shut him up for you?"

"Please do so," said Northstar as he stopped for a moment while Deadpool reloaded his guns, "Besides, he's making me hungry for tacos."

Puck began his cartwheel motion again and quickly accelerated to high speeds. Gambit prepared three charged cards and took aim at the flying mutant. He threw them right towards Puck's flight path, but before they even got halfway there Northstar ran in at high speeds and grabbed each card out of the air.

Then in a blur of speed, the Canadian mutant slipped the cards back into Gambit's trench coat. By the time the Cajun mutant realized what was going on, it was too late.

"Aw hell…" groaned Gambit.

Reacting swiftly, Gambit dropped his bow staff and threw off his trench coat just as the cards exploded. The resulting blast disoriented him, causing him to fall to the ground with a sharp ringing noise in his ears.

While Gambit was left dazed, Puck continued flying towards Deadpool. With mere seconds to act, the masked mercenary cocked his guns and took aim at Puck.

"Flying right at my guns. Not a smart move, shorty!" said Deadpool.

"Not aiming for your guns," grinned Puck.

Just as Deadpool was about to fire, Puck changed direction in mid-air. He shifted his path lower so that when he hit Deadpool, he struck him right in the groin. Even with his healing factor, it left the skilled mercenary in a world of pain.

"Uck! Dude…not cool!" said Deadpool a she clutched his groin, "I expect that from Northstar, but not _you_!"

"I heard that! It wouldn't be the first time someone made that joke either," said Northstar who was still standing over Gambit, "I'll show you some jokes of my own after I take care of the Cajun here."

"You comin' onto Remy?" joked Gambit as he reached for his bow staff, "You should know Remy don't swing that way."

"Don't flatter yourself. You're not my type," said Northstar as he picked up the staff before he could reach it.

Northstar prepared to strike the Cajun mutant with his own staff. As he raised it up, Rogue flew in and grabbed it. This caught Northstar by surprise, so much so that he wasn't fast enough to avoid what happened next.

"Unfortunately for you, he's exactly mah type," grinned Rogue, "Which means Ah ain't gonna feel bad about doing _this_!"

While Rogue had Northstar in her grip, she delivered a quick kick to Northstar's right knee. The force of the blow effectively broke his knee. She could have shattered it completely, but she _tried_ being gentle despite what Northstar did to her boyfriend. It was more than enough to stop him from running away or running at all for that matter.

"Ahhhhhh! My knee!" exclaimed Northstar as he fell to the ground.

"Now you know how Gambit's ears feel," said the Cajun as Rogue helped him up.

"Damn it, Northstar! Do I have to do everything?" groaned Puck.

Leaving Deadpool to agonize over his groin, Puck built up a fresh round of kinetic energy. He went full speed, going into his cartwheel motion and taking aim at Rogue. He was fully prepared to test her durability and Rogue was prepared to resist it. She didn't have to in the end.

Despite his pounding ears, Gambit grabbed his discarded bow staff and gave it a strong charge. Then just as Puck was about to hit Rogue, he stepped out in front of her and hit the incoming mutant as if he was a baseball.

"Whoooaaaaaa shit!" exclaimed Puck, who had been unable to change direction.

"You ain't the only one that can toy with energy, homme," grinned Gambit as he wielded his bow staff proudly.

"Ah could have taken it, you know?" teased Rogue.

"Remy can't let you have all the fun, non?" he quipped.

Puck landed back near the perimeter fence. It also where Sasquatch fought Fantomex to a near stand-still. The cocky French soldier tried take down the oversized mutant quickly with a series of fancy jump kicks and body blows. Sasquatch proved to be more durable than he thought.

When Fantomex tried to shoot him with his guns, Sasquatch used his claws to literally rip them out of his hands along with a good chunk of his flesh. From there, Sasquatch tried to corner the agile figure.

"You're more brain and less brawn than I thought," said Fantomex, his back nearly against the gate, "I'm _almost_ impressed."

"You're also _almost_ dead," said Sasquatch, as he cracked his knuckles, "You're no X-man! I'm sure a lot of people will thank me for ripping your head off!"

"It's tragic how right you probably are," sighed Fantomex as he prepared himself.

Not waiting for Fantomex to finish, he lunched towards the former French soldier with predatory rage. With nowhere left to run, it seemed as though he had the man right where he wanted him.

Then at the last second, Fantomex made an unexpected move. Using Sasquatch's own momentum against him, he grabbed his oversized wrists and spun him around so he crashed right into the fence. As it just so happened, the fence was electrified so as soon as Sasquatch hit he was struck by a paralyzing surge.

"Arrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhh!" he howled.

"You're right about something else. I'm _not_ an X-man," said Fantomex.

Sasquatch fell limply to the ground, his fur charred and messy. Such a shock would have killed a normal man. It looked as though Sasquatch was just going to have a few bad hair days.

While Fantomex collected himself, he turned to his right and noticed that Phoenix had been backed up towards the fence by Typhoid Mary. Their telekinetic clash quickly turned into a more complicated brawl. Typhoid Mary proved to be more than just a strong psychic. She was a skilled fighter as well.

After escaping some of Phoenix's telekinetic counter-attacks, she went on the evasive and attacked with her blades. It forced Phoenix to go on the defensive. She tried restraining her with telekinesis, but Typhoid Mary made it so she couldn't get a firm grip. At one point, Phoenix took a nasty cut on her lower leg, causing her to limp somewhat as she backed closer to the electric fence.

"Need a little help over there, Phoenix?" asked Fantomex, "It's one thing to bring a knife to a gun fight, but to bring nothing to a knife fight?"

"I can handle this!" said a frustrated Phoenix, "She's just being stubborn!"

"Is that confidence or fear in your tone?" questioned Fantomex, "It sounds like you're trying to convince yourself more than you're trying to convince me."

Fantomex's condescending tone was almost as infuriating as Typhoid Mary's blade attacks, even if there was a hint of truth to his words. Phoenix once again missed the added firepower of the Phoenix Force. Typhoid Mary fought a lot like Agent Zero. Her moves were mechanical and so was her mind. She couldn't telepathically attack her because there was nothing to attack. As the electric fence grew closer, Typhoid Mary grew more aggressive.

After dodging another narrow stab, Phoenix tried to shove her back with a punishing telekinetic wave. Typhoid Mary countered by performing an acrobatic leap right over it and landing right next to Phoenix.

"Now that's just not fair," groaned Phoenix.

"Surrender or die honorably. Choose now," she said as she held the blade next to Phoenix's neck.

"There's some personality in your tone. Maybe even some thought," said Phoenix as she stared down the woman through her mask, "I've seen that look before. I don't think you're doing this because you want to."

"Are you really trying to reason with her?" said Fantomex in a bemused tone as he retrieved his guns.

"Shut up, Fantomex! I told you I can handle this!" she said, not sounding quite as convincing as she did before.

"No…you will not," said Typhoid Mary.

Showing off a new power, Typhoid Mary surrounded her body and her blades in fire. It was the kind of pyrokinetic abilities that Phoenix used to wield regularly with the Phoenix Force. Being on the other end for once didn't sit well for a second.

"Not only are you unfair, you love to rub it in my face, don't you!" said Phoenix.

"I take it you have made your choice," said Typhoid Mary.

The menacing psychic prepared to slit Phoenix's throat before she could muster another telepathic attack. She never got the chance. From the dark storm clouds that were growing above, a large bolt of lightning shot out. It struck both blades extending from Typhoid Mary's arms, sending a punishing shock that was every bit as bad as the one Sasquatch suffered. Her combat suit quickly shorted out and her body contorted awkwardly before going limp.

Phoenix barely managed to escape the punishing shocks. Looking up through the clouds, she saw Storm hovering over her. While she was grateful to avoid further being on the wrong end of Typhoid Mary's blades, her frustration was still apparent.

"Hnn…the fire. Not mission. Failure," said Typhoid Mary in a slurred tone.

"Damn it, Storm! You cut it a little close there!" shouted Phoenix.

"I apologize, Phoenix. Better my lightning than Fantomex's guns," said Storm, "He was going to shoot her in the head."

"Are you going to scorn me?" said Fantomex, "Let me know how much you intend to loath yourself so I can politely tune it out. There's still a mission to be done."

Phoenix was plenty tempted to scold this man for his crass remarks, not to mention his willingness to shoot people in the head. She couldn't allow the situation with her powers to distract her. They were wasting time they couldn't afford to waste. With the alpha unit nearly neutralized, they were ready to take the next step.

Despite her unit faltering around her, Aurora continued her attack. She kept aiming for Sage, who seemed to be the source of the disruption throughout the base. Beast wasn't making it easy for her. He willingly took a few shots to protect her. All the while Sage still seemed to be doing something with the device she programmed in the Velocity. She protected it vigorously, making Aurora all the more determined to destroy it.

"I don't know what your girlfriend is doing, Beast. But I'm pretty sure my boss isn't happy about it," said Aurora as she fired off more light blasts.

"Yes, about your boss…would you say he or she is the temperamental type?" asked Beast as he pulled off some acrobatic back-flips to avoid the blasts.

"What makes you think I would tell you if I knew?" scoffed Aurora as she prepared for another blast.

"Because I think John knew and he saw fit to investigate," quipped Beast.

"Don't you dare bring John into this!" she said in a more emotional tone.

"He believed this _boss_ of yours was not using White Cell in an honorable manner. Surely you don't agree with the recent attacks he launched on major military installations."

Aurora halted her attack for a moment. That revelation finally caused her to think about her mission in a way she had never allowed herself to do before. She tried writing it off as some sort of psychological ploy, but that wasn't Hank McCoy's style. Something about what he said made sense.

The boss kept plenty of secrets from the rest of White Cell. If the communications blackout was meant to cover the truth, then she and the alpha unit were all accessories to some massive attack.

"I think you struck a chord, Hank," said Sage as she looked up at Aurora, "I don't think she or anyone else in White Cell really knows what's happening."

"What are you two babbling about?" said the still paralyzed Guardian, who was not far from where Beast and Sage were standing.

"What did you say about an attack on major military instillations?" asked Vindicator.

"They really don't know," mused Beast, "They have no idea what their own organization is doing at the moment."

"Then by all means, enlighten us. And you better not be lying!" said Aurora as she flew back down to the surface, "You already busted my brother's knee. What you're saying had better be as bad as it sounds or else…"

Then in an unexpected attack on her mind, Aurora was silenced. When she landed, she didn't notice Phoenix approaching behind her with Fantomex. As soon as she lost her focus on the mission, Phoenix hit her with a telepathic probe.

"Hnn…" groaned Aurora as she froze where she stood.

"What the hell are you doing?" exclaimed Guardian.

"I'm being gentle, I promise," said Phoenix as she approached Aurora and placed her hands on her head, "Sorry to resort to this, but we're low on time. You need to know what's happening and I need to know where we go from here."

Aurora's mind offered little resistance as Phoenix dug deeper. This probe included images from the reports they received regarding the attacks. Upon seeing these images in her mind's eye, she was overcome with a sense of shock and horror. In her disgust, she leaned some disturbing truths about her boss.

"My god…how could he do something like this?" exclaimed Aurora.

"I'll remember to ask him that," said Phoenix, "For now, just take a quick nap. You've given us exactly what we need."

With little resistance, Aurora slipped into unconsciousness. Phoenix caught her before she collapse. Fantomex helped lay her out on the hard ground. As they did this they were joined by Gambit, Rogue, Beast, Sage, and Deadpool. Storm remained overhead, building up more storm clouds. By now the sky was nearly pitch black. It would be vital if their next move was to succeed.

"See Fantomex? There are alternatives to shooting people," said Phoenix.

"Duly noted," said Fantomex.

"What did you show her Phoenix?" asked Beast.

"More than she thought she knew, that's for sure," Phoenix replied, "I don't think anyone on this base knows what's happening with the attacks. Whoever this mysterious boss of theirs is, he kept them in the dark."

"All the more reason to find him," said Rogue, "How much longer is this glitch of yours gonna last, Sage?"

"Long enough, hopefully," said Sage as she adjusted the device, "Please tell me Aurora revealed more than just her ignorance, Phoenix. The location of their psionic transmitter would be most helpful."

"I've got that and a few bonuses," said Phoenix, "Her orders were to guard a particularly important building located in the northwest quadrant. If it's as important as she thinks it is, that'll be our best bet at finding the source of this global shit storm."

"You think X-Force be there as well?" asked Gambit.

"If I were to bet, I would go all in," said Phoenix, already setting her sights towards the interior of the base.

It sounded like their most promising lead yet. They neutralized White Cell's defenses. They had already uncovered some of their secrets. Now they were in a position to uncover more.

"I'll gladly call that bet," said Fantomex, "Let's get moving before Storm decides to start dropping tornados on us."

"Wait! Can't I wait for my balls to descend?" said Deadpool, still walking funny after the shot he took from puck.

"Sorry Wade, but this mission is more important than your balls," said Fantomex.

"My balls would beg to differ," he retorted.

"You two can have that conversation later," said Sage, "You and Fantomex can go for the boss. I'll need the rest of you to come with me so I can locate the transmitter."

"No way! I'm going after this mysterious boss as well," said Phoenix, already storming out ahead of the others, "If he's already clashed with X-Force, I need to do some clashing of my own!"

"Wait Phoenix!" said Beast as he tried to stop her.

"Don't bother, sugah," said Rogue, who held him back, "She ain't gonna be stopped. Not if her boyfriend's in danger."

* * *

 **White Cell Base – Lab Core**

" _Warning. Atmosphere anomalies detected. Signal output below 30 percent. Psionic uplink compromised. Initiating defense protocols."_

The blaring alarm was the latest in a series of warning signs that further frustrated Romulus. The disturbance on the surface clearly hadn't panned out. The elite units were still offline and the alpha unit wasn't checking in. While Romulus maintained control of X-Force, he had to divide his attention between keeping them uncomfortable and continuing his vision.

"These disruptions are becoming quite _annoying_ ," said Romulus as he wrestled with jumbled signals, "Regardless of what your friends did to my elite forces, this sudden change in weather is starting to slow my operation."

"That would be my ex-girlfriend and Warpath's pseudo-girlfriend raining on your little parade here," said Wolverine, grinning through the pain.

"Pseudo-girlfriend?" grunted Warpath.

"Be thankful, Warpath. That's as polite as Wolverine vill be vith you," commented Nightcrawler.

"You think this will stop my attack? My warriors have sufficient protocols to guide them through their respective missions," said Romulus, "It should give me plenty of time to clean up this mess you clearly brought with you."

"You're giving yourself too much credit, Romulus. Clearly, you're not as in control as you think you are!" scolded Cyclops, who vehemently resisted the paralysis, "It doesn't matter how old you are or how long you've been planning this. Just look at what you're doing! Is it really war you hate? Or is it not being able to _control_ the outcome?"

Romulus's scowl hardened as he worked swiftly to ensure his warriors could handle themselves while he took care of this inconvenience. They couldn't coordinate properly if these _disruptions_ continued. With growing frustration, he turned away from the core and narrowed his gaze on Cyclops.

"My age may have made me a patient man, but even I have limits," said Romulus firmly, "Your resistance as well as your attitude has worn on my last nerve!"

"Welcome to my world, paps," commented Wolverine, "It's about time Summers put that _charming_ personality of his to good use."

"That may be the nicest thing Wolverine has ever said to me," made Cyclops, "That proves how little control I have over him. And if you made your warriors in his image, what chance do _you_ have?"

"You speak of control as if I don't already have it," seethed Romulus, "You think with all this time I don't have a firm grip on my own vision? If so, then allow me to prove you wrong."

Romulus raised his gauntlet and clenched his fist and issued a series of commands to psionic substance that controlled the X-Force leader's body. Despite Cyclops's fierce resistance, he found himself turning his head and placing his hand on his visor. He was now staring directly at Angel, who was kneeling right next to him. As Cyclops felt this, a new wave of horror came over him.

"No! I won't…let you…use me!" he seethed, resisting with all his might.

"You don't have a choice. Not anymore," said the old warrior.

"Uh…Cyclops, I don't mean to add any extra pressure, but could you at least try apologizing?" said Angel warily.

"It's too late for penance. You've no one to blame but yourselves," seethed Romulus.

Despite his best efforts, Cyclops couldn't prevent what happened next. Under Romulus's control, he fired an optic blast that hit Angel dead on. It hit him so hard that it blew him across the lab and into one of the examination tables they had been lying on earlier. Due to the setting on his visor, it was sure to leave him seriously injured.

"NOOOOO!" exclaimed Cyclops as he fired the blast.

"Angel!" exclaimed Emma as she watched on in horror.

"You son-of-a-bitch!" yelled Wolverine.

It was Cyclops's worst fears taking form and substance. He couldn't control his powers and someone he cared about got hurt as a result. He was left feeling so sick that he tried to throw up, but his paralyzed body wouldn't let him. The X-Force leader's resistance collapsed and he fell to his hands and knees, leaving Romulus utterly vindicated.

"He'll live…for now," said Romulus stoically, "I believe I've made my point."

"Yeah…you've proved you're a total asshole!" yelled Hellion.

"That's _not_ helping, Julian!" scorned Warpath.

"What difference does it make?" argued Domino, "He has control. He can use us however he wants."

"Is zhat how it's going to end, Romulus? You'll have us do zhe dirty work so you don't have to?" questioned Nightcrawler angrily, "If so, zhen I don't see much honor in it!"

"I wasn't planning on ending you. I was planning on having you witness the world that would emerge from the ashes of this battle," Romulus replied, "But since you insist on being so arrogant, I've changed my mind."

Upon adjusting his gauntlet once more, he turned towards Wolverine, Sabretooth, and X-23. They still had their claws drawn from earlier. As his proudest warriors, it was only fitting that they carry out this grim task.

"Ah hell, you're gonna make us do it?" groaned Sabretooth, "Where's the fun in that?"

"I swear if you make me hurt anyone, I'll…" began X-23.

"You'll do nothing other than what you are told," scorned Romulus, "If you're going to carry yourselves as disobedient children, then I will treat you as such. Make no mistake. I will not allow even a slight annoyance to disrupt my vision!"

"This vision of yours is gonna end badly for you, old man! No matter what you have us do, I can promise you that!" roared Wolverine.

"Your promises are worthless, son. Haven't I made my point clear enough? I am in control. Disruption or no disruption, your fate has been decided. No one other than myself may change that!"

Romulus had the three former living weapons take on an attack stance. Wolverine and X-23 struggled just as Cyclops had struggled to resist, but it was no use. Their sights set on X-Force, Romulus was going to do it. He was going to make them kill their own friends.

He was about to give the final order when to his dismay and the surprise of everyone else, the main doors to the lab were blown open in a deafening explosion. From the ashes of this explosion, two figures emerged. It was Fantomex and Deadpool. When they saw the scene before them, they didn't need to ask too many questions.

"Was that timing great or what? Just like the writer planned it!" said Deadpool as he and Fantomex stormed the lab with their guns drawn.

"Deadpool? Fantomex? Should we be relieved or worried?" asked Emma Frost.

"Worried…definitely worried," dreaded Nightcrawler.

Romulus had to hold off his orders to Wolverine, Sabretooth, and X-23. He kept them paralyzed as he turned his attention to the new intruders.

"Well isn't this an _unpleasant_ surprise," commented Romulus.

"I take it you're the man we're looking for," said Fantomex as he Deadpool stood a mere fifteen feet from Romulus, "You're the one who left his stamp of approval on all things related to Weapon X."

"I would ask for your autograph, but between the scabs all over my body and the crazy voices in my head I'd rather just shoot you…a lot," said Deadpool.

"Bold words from yet more immature children," scoffed Romulus, "I suppose that means you'll require some discipline as well."

"Skip the banter. Get to the fighting," said Fantomex firmly.

"As you wish," said Romulus stoically.

With lightning-fast reflexes, Romulus launched his attack. Fantomex managed to get off only one shot with his gun, but Romulus was able to grab his arm and divert it so that he fired off target. Fantomex attempted to break the grasp by striking him with a roundhouse kick. Romulus skillfully ducked to avoid it.

In the process, he used his grip on Fantomex to flip him over knee him in the face for good measure. It left him momentarily stunned, allowing Romulus to turn his attention to Deadpool.

"Unngh…" groaned Fantomex after hitting the ground face first.

"Okay, I admit. That was pretty cool. But not as cool as guns! _Nothing_ is as cool a guns!" said Deadpool as he fired a hail of bullets at Romulus.

Despite this punishing barrage, Romulus demonstrated inhuman agility. He moved so fast that he was like a blur. The bullets got close, but never touched him. As he avoided the onslaught, he acrobatically leapt over Deadpool and landed behind him. The skilled mercenary tried to counter by dropping one of his guns and drawing his katana. He stabbed and slashed right at Romulus's head, but the old warrior proved too agile.

"You were always more bark than bite, Wade Wilson," said Romulus, not sounding winded as he avoided another couple of bullets.

"No fair! You're ripping off both the Matrix and Wesker from Resident Evil!" grunted Deadpool as he emptied the magazine in his gun, "I'm filing a lawsuit on behalf of Capcom and the Wachowskis!"

"Madness in a battle makes killing easier. It doesn't make you more efficient," said Romulus as he kicked Deadpool's empty gun out of his hand, "True warriors use the right tools to get the job done."

As the old warrior stared down the menacing mercenary, he finally drew some weapons of his own. From the hand that wasn't wielding the gauntlet, he unleashed a long set of metal claws.

They were like Wolverine's, except Romulus had four of them instead of three. Three came out from the knuckles on the top of his hand. One more came out from near his thumb. Now armed only with katanas, Deadpool went on the defensive as he prepared for Romulus's next attack.

"Metal claws," grumbled X-23, who watched the fight intently with the others, "Who didn't see that one coming?"

"Dude, it may not be copyright infringement, but the whole metal claw thing has been done to death," said Deadpool.

"That's because they work. Allow me to demonstrate yet again," said Romulus.

Utilizing his agility once more, the old warrior launched his attack. He struck with a series of quick slashes. Deadpool narrowly avoided the first two. He then tried to block the next one with his katana. Much to his dismay, Romulus's claws cut right through it.

"Ah hell!" groaned Deadpool as he went on the evasive again, "Why did I have to be cheap and _not_ splurge for adamantium swords?"

"That's what you get for spending all your money on tacos, Wade," said Fantomex, who struggled to his feet despite his face being badly bruised, "Lucky for you, I spend my money one extra bullets."

Before Romulus could get in more slashes against Deadpool, Fantomex put a fresh clip of ammo in his gun and unleashed a fresh round of gunfire. That forced Romulus back on the defensive, using his agility to avoid the attack like he did before. This time the bullets got closer. A few even grazed his hair and face. Undaunted, Romulus pulled off more acrobatic flips before positioning himself for another counterattack.

While this battle was unfolding, X-Force continued to watch intently. It was a bit odd, rooting for Fantomex and Deadpool. They appeared overmatched by Romulus. He was every bit as skilled and powerful as he boasted. Defeating him with brute force seemed unlikely.

"Quit wasting bullets, Frenchie! Aim for the gauntlet!" barked Wolverine.

"How will that help? Want me to shoot an apple off his head on top of it?" said Fantomex, frustrated by Romulus's agility.

"We're not standing here because we enjoy watching," said Warpath, "Destroy the gauntlet and we can lend a hand."

"Duly noted, but that's assuming I'll need it," said Fantomex.

The French soldier stepped up his attack along with Deadpool. While Romulus was avoiding the bullets, Deadpool moved in with his other katana and started slashing. That put Romulus to both defend and evade.

He was able to duck and jump over the initial strikes. When he landed he had to move swiftly to his right in order to avoid more bullets from Fantomex. Deadpool moved in for another attack and managed to slash Romulus right across the chest. The wound didn't seem to bother him so he countered with a hard. It left him vulnerable just long enough for Fantomex to shoot him right in the arm just above the gauntlet. It was a wound he couldn't ignore and with growing frustration, he sought to end the battle.

"I'm getting bored with you two. Time to end this," said Romulus flatly.

Fantomex moved in for another shot. This time Romulus was ready. Using his speed and agility, he did a quick spin move to avoid Deadpool's next stab attack. He also gave him a rough shove, putting him right in the path of the shot so that when Fantomex fired it hit Deadpool right in the arm.

"Oww! You shot me in the arm! And my jacking arm, no less!" exclaimed Deadpool, dropping his katana in the process.

"Oops," said Fantomex casually, "Hold on, I'll make it up to you."

Fantomex didn't stop shooting. Romulus used Deadpool as a human shield yet again, grabbing him by his wounded arm and forcing him into the path of the bullets again. He ended up taking four bullets in the chest.

"Ahhh! Stop making it up to me! Just get me some tacos and we'll call it even!" he cried out.

"Your arrogance is pitiful, Fantomex," scoffed Romulus.

Having fired so manys bullets, Fantomex hesitated with the next shot. That gave Romulus all the time he needed.

Upon shoving Deadpool's wounded body aside, he pulled off another acrobatic leap just as Fantomex emptied the last of his bullets. Romulus ended up landing right behind the French soldier. Before he could turn around, Romulus drove his claws right into Fantomex's torso. Even with his techno-organic blood, it was a devastating strike.

"Argh! That…stings," grunted Fantomex.

"Ugh…what were you saying about not needing help again?" groaned Deadpool, still lying on the floor bleeding from his bullet wounds.

"If your plan was to simply confront me, it was a foolish plan," said Romulus, "Your fate will be no different from the others."

Adding to Fantomex's discomfort, Romulus twisted his claws to worsen the wound before pulling them out and allowing the French soldier to fall to his knees. He watched without pity as Fantomex clutched his wounds, trying to prevent his techno-organic blood from spilling everywhere. Now wounded and weakened, the two former living weapons no longer presented a threat.

"Damn," cursed Nightcrawler, "So much for those guys being our best hope."

"I'm surprised they lasted as long as they did," commented Domino.

"You two better have a backup plan. Otherwise, you _deserve_ to get your asses kicked!" barked Wolverine.

"Don't worry, old buddy! We're not _that_ crazy…figurative speaking," said Deadpool, his bullet wounds gushing with blood, "We still have a plan C!"

"I don't doubt that you have many plans," said Romulus as he withdrew his claws, "I only doubt it will make a difference."

" _Now_ who's being arrogant?" quipped Fantomex.

Moments after uttering these words, a new commotion emerged from the doorway that Deadpool and Fantomex blew open earlier. A familiar figure came flying through as if having been roughly thrown. It was Phoenix and she appeared to be in bad shape. Following closely behind her was Daken, who stood triumphantly over her.

Upon seeing this, Romulus turned back towards Fantomex and grinned smugly.

"You were saying?" he said.

"Okay, guess we'll need a Plan Q. Or is it plan Z by now? I've officially lost count," groaned Deadpool, his wounds not healing fast enough.

As Daken took a moment to catch his breath, the rest of X-Force looked on in horror. Cyclops, who had was still on his hands and knees, was especially shocked to see his former lover so badly injured.

She had a nasty bruise on her head and a nasty claw mark on her upper back. Daken looked like he had been roughed up too. He had some nasty bruises on his face, torso, and lower right leg. They were most likely inflicted by telekinesis. Despite his discomfort, he respectfully bowed towards Romulus.

"Sorry for the commotion, honorable grandfather," said Daken, "Those two slipped by while this bitch kept me occupied."

"Hnn…I can still…annoy you," grunted Phoenix as she tried to get up.

"Not after I do _this_."

Daken roughly kicked Phoenix in the head, rendering her dazed and barely conscious. She was no longer in a position to use her telekinetic abilities, which had already left While waiting for his healing factor to kick in, he grabbed Phoenix by the hair and dragged her across the lab.

"Jeannie!" exclaimed Wolverine.

"Jean…what have you done to her?" yelled Cyclops.

"Nothing she didn't bring upon herself," said Daken, wiping some lingering blood from his face, "She was quite tenacious. Dare I say, _captivating_."

"Bub, I don't care if you are my son. You so much as _breathe_ on her and I'll give you a time out you ain't gonna heal from!" barked Wolverine.

"That's assuming you'll survive what I'll do to you!" yelled Cyclops.

"Ooh, sounds like you both have a soft spot for this woman," said Daken, grinning as he laid Phoenix down right in front of Cyclops, "I must say you have good tastes. She is quite _stunning_. Not many women can leave me this bruised and look half as good as her. Perhaps she's less deserving of wrath and more deserving of a special kind of _mercy_."

With a sadistic grin, Daken drew his claws and trailed them down Phoenix's face. Wolverine and Cyclops watched with burning rage as he trailed them further down the top part of her uniform. Daken looked at her with a mix of lust and hunger, making clear that he was cruel enough to do anything to her.

The veins in Wolverine's neck bulged while Cyclops's body trembled, crippled by the physical and mental strain. But just as Daken slipped his claw under the top of Phoenix's uniform, Romulus waved him down.

"That's enough, Daken. You've made your point," said Romulus.

"Oh come now, Honorable Grandfather. Surely, this is a point worth _reinforcing_ ," Daken protested.

"We've neither the time nor the capacity," said the old warrior, "While admittedly brazen, I doubt she's the only one left. Like Deadpool and Fantomex, she's part of a much greater disturbance."

Daken sighed in disappointment. He usually preferred to squeeze a little fun into his missions, but he respected his honorable grandfather's wishes. He rose up and backed off from Phoenix's wounded form, allowing Romulus to approach her. Fantomex and Deadpool were still too wounded to get up. Even if this disturbance wasn't finished, this daring frontal assault of theirs had failed.

"You have resilient friends, my son. How many more are you willing to sacrifice before you admit the truth?" questioned Romulus.

"How much more of this shit needs to go wrong before you admit you ain't gonna win?" yelled Wolverine.

"Unlike you, I'm willing to pay any price to see this vision through," quipped Romulus, "You can make this easier on everyone if you assist me in uncovering who else is behind this disruption. You have my honor bound word that I will show them mercy if you convince them to surrender."

"Go to Hell, old man! Let me free and I'll _gladly_ escort you!" answered the feral mutant.

"Don't waste your breath, Romulus. We may be at odds with the X-men right now, but we're not helping you take them," said Warpath.

"Vell, you can keep Deadpool," said Nightcrawler.

"Hey! I thought you guys were supposed to be heroes. Or is it anti-heroes? I forget. Ugh! I think one of the bullets is in my brain," said Deadpool, trying to pull out some of the bullets on his own.

"Oh there are many ways I can still use you to resolve this problem. I need only break the weakest link in the chain, which has already made himself painfully apparent."

Romulus turned back towards Cyclops, whose spirit had clearly been weakened after being forced to shoot Angel. Being controlled affected him on a mental level that the rest of X-Force. He was already on the brink. He needed only one more nudge for his will to be completely broken.

"You mock me about my need for control, Scott Summers. But it seems as though I'm not the only one with control issues," said Romulus as he stood over the X-Force leader.

"I would say go to Hell, but Wolverine beat me to it," grunted Cyclops.

"You have a pathological need for control. I suspect it has something to do with those dangerous powers of yours. Just look at what they did to your winged friend. Imagine what they'll do to this beautiful woman here?"

"No! I won't!" exclaimed Cyclops, his voice wrought with strain.

"Watch me," said Romulus stoically, "Or more accurately, watch yourself."

Using his control gauntlet, the old warrior sent a new round of commands to Cyclops. He continued to fight them with all his might, but he was so weakened from before that he could not resist.

He felt himself turn his gaze towards Phoenix. He also felt himself adjust his visor to a more lethal setting. In her weakened state, there was little chance Phoenix would survive. It was the worst of all Scott Summers's nightmares. He was going to kill the woman he loved.

"No…Jeannie," cried Wolverine.

"Come on, Scott! Fight it!" urged Nightcrawler.

"You can do it!" said Warpath, "Don't let this bastard use you!"

"Jean, if you're even partially conscious, wake up already!" yelled Emma Frost

"Hnn…Scott?" was all Phoenix could muster.

Their encouragement was strong, but it wasn't enough. The X-Force leader did not have the strength to overcome Romulus's control.

"I…I can't!" said Cyclops in a weakened voice, "Jean…I'm so sorry."

"You need not apologize," said Romulus firmly, "You can save her life. You need only aid me in locating her comrades. They may not take kindly to hostages, but you'll have plenty of incentive to make them understand. It requires that you dishonorably surrender, but in doing so you'll preserve the honor of your woman."

It was as cruel a dilemma as it was effective. Cyclops had to either surrender to this man or let him kill Jean Grey with his own optic blasts. His hand was on his visor. He could not turn away. For once, Scott Summers contemplated it. He was prepared to surrender and doom the world for the sake of this woman.

The rest of X-Force watched with bated breath. Some tried to look away, but their paralysis wouldn't let them. Romulus was prepared to issue the final command through his gauntlet. If Cyclops wouldn't decide, then he would decide for him.

Then in an instant that surprised even Romulus, a deafening gunshot rang out from above. That gunshot hit him square in his gauntlet, shattering it and seriously wounding his hand.

"Ungh…what now?" grunted Romulus in frustration.

"Uh…was that you, Frenchie?" asked Deadpool, who had just returned to his feet.

"I wish," said Fantomex, who helped his partner up, "Looks like we're not the only ones causing _disruptions_."

Romulus, Daken, and the rest of X-Force looked up towards the source of the shot. It came from a figure that was perched atop one of the open pods for the Weapon X warriors. When they saw who it was Romulus was left confused while X-Force was left feeling some welcome relief.

"Hey guys! Sorry I'm late," said Domino, who was wielding a high-powered sniper rifle.

"Domino! Where the hell have you been for the last three days?" barked Wolverine.

"Were you just _waiting_ for it to get this bad?" asked Emma Frost.

"You guys disappeared. I had to wait for the X-men to find you guys," she shrugged, "Then I had to get in and ended up getting side-tracked. It's kind of a long story."

With Romulus's gauntlet shattered, he could no longer give commands to control X-Force. They remained paralyzed, but he could not control them. It left him more than just frustrated. As he clenched his bloody hand, Daken joined him. He kept looking at the Domino they had under control and the one that was perched above them.

"Stop me before I make a fool of myself, Honorable Grandfather. But what exactly are we looking at?" asked Daken.

"It's not as obvious as it should've been," said Romulus, "Apparently, I taught one of my pupils too well. Isn't that right, Rose?"

Romulus turned to the Domino they had under their control. She hadn't said much since her arrival and he noticed she was grinning in bemusement. That confirmed his suspicion.

"You taught me to deceive and fight, Romulus. Unfortunately, Domino is still a better shot. And the name's Mystique!" said the shape shifter as she reverted back to her blue-skinned form.

"Mystique? How the hell did our tests miss that?" said Daken.

"We had a little extra magic on our side and a friend named Shaman to help us use it," revealed Mystique, "So much for your meticulous planning, my _mentor_."

"Wait…so you guys _did_ have a plan?" said Hellion.

"Don't be too upset with us, Julian. You probably would have blurted it out if we told you," said Emma Frost.

"Cute…real cute," snarled Sabretooth, who was a bit torn over the sudden turn of events.

"I'll rub it in your face later, Creed," said Wolverine as he looked back up at Domino, "Now seeing as how we still can't move, I would love to hear more bullets flying!"

"Leave me with all the grunt work, why don't you? Oh well," said Domino as she adjusted her rifle.

Using her high-powered scope and her uncanny sharpshooting skills, Domino unloaded a hail of bullets from above. She started by firing a couple of shots right into the core, causing it to spark erratically. That helped ensure that Romulus couldn't reassert control over his prisoners.

Then she took aim at Romulus and Daken. Just as before, Romulus used his agility to avoid the shots. Daken wasn't as lucky, having sustained too much punishment from Phoenix. He ended up taking a high-powered round right in the chest.

"Argh!" he howled as he fell to the floor, "Honorable Grandfather…help me."

"You'll have to help yourself, Daken. The integrity of the core is a much greater concern!" said Romulus as he narrowly dodged two bullets from Domino.

"Thanks for the tidbit. I'll make sure I squeeze in some extra rounds," said Domino.

"Destroying the core won't destroy my warriors. It won't free your friends from their paralysis either," said Romulus as he heard a bullet whiz right past his ear.

"I figured you wouldn't be _that_ stupid. Why else would I be trying to drive you back?" quipped Domino, "You guys ready for the second _surprise_?"

"Don't jerk us around, Domino. Do it already!" exclaimed Warpath.

Domino touched a button on her communicator in between shots. She kept firing on Romulus, making sure he stayed away from X-Force so this next phase in their operation could unfold.

Once Romulus was pushed back towards the core, a small glowing portal formed in front of X-Force. From the portal, Illyana Rasputin emerged. Her presence not only revealed how Domino managed to appear in the lab undetected. She also brought revealed that they recruited the Scarlet Witch for this mission.

"The Scarlet Witch? Now you're working with Magneto's kids?" exclaimed Hellion.

"She's not as bad as Fox News made her out to be, I assure you," said Emma Frost, "Wanda, if you please…"

"Three days was a long enough wait for me," said the Scarlet Witch, her eyes glowing with hex energy, "I'm sure it was more than enough for you."

"You don't know the half of it," said Cyclops grimly.

The Scarlet Witch put her hex powers to good use. Through careful concentration she struck Cyclops, Wolverine, Warpath, Nightcrawler, Mystique, Emma Frost, Hellion, X-23, and Sabretooth with a hex bolt. She did the same for the wounded Angel as well, who was still lying unconscious near one of the examination tables. It was an uncomfortable feeling, but it successfully freed them from Romulus' control.

"You did it, Vanda. Ve're free!" said Nightcrawler.

"Ahh! Feels even better than the first time," said Warpath.

"That's only the second time I've felt compelled to utter such words," said Emma as she shook off the soreness.

"Ugh…I still feel sick," groaned Hellion.

"Shake it off! We still have a job to do," said X-23 as she set her sights on Romulus.

"Damn straight!" said Wolverine as he drew his claws, "What do you say, Sabretooth? Got the stomach for one more team-up?"

"I'll throw up later, runt," snarled Sabreooth, "Let's get this over with."

Now free from Romulus's influence and pissed off after everything he had done, X-Force was prepared to take this madman on. Wolverine, Sabretooth, and X-23 quickly closed in on Romulus, who was still dodging bullets from Domino. Emma Frost stayed behind with the dazed Hellion while Cyclops stayed with Phoenix. Illyana and the Scarlet Witch rushed to Angel's aid, who was in bad shape after taking a shot from Cyclops. The X-Force leader was also in bad shape, but in a completely different way.

"How is he?" asked Cyclops as he hovered protectively over Phoenix.

"Not in a position to fight, that's for sure," said the Scarlet Witch as she checked him.

"He'll definitely need some serious medical treatment," said Illyana, sounding unnerved by the sight of his injuries.

"He'll get it soon enough. Keep an eye on him while we take care of this once and for all," said Cyclops flatly as he looked up towards Romulus.

Romulus now found himself targeted by more than just Domino. While Wolverine, X-23, and Sabretooth closed in on him, the rest of the team linked up with Deadpool and Fantomex. Mystique, Nightcrawler, and Warpath helped them back to their feet. They were still wounded and bloodied, but their respective healing abilities had since kicked in. They were ready for another shot at Romulus.

"Can you two still make yourselves useful?" asked Mystique.

"For a pretty woman with blue skin who reminds me of Jennifer Lawrence? Sure I can!" said Deadpool.

"Watch it, Deadpool. Zhat's my mother you're talking about," scorned Nightcrawler.

"So what? Doesn't that just make her a kick-ass MILF?" retorted Deadpool.

Nightcrawler was inclined to strike Deadpool for that remark, but Warpath held him back while Fantomex held Deadpool back.

"Save it for Romulus. He deserves it more," said Warpath.

"Although after _that_ remark, Deadpool is a close second," said Mystique.

"I'll lecture him on his treatment of beautiful women later. Now please stop pretending to help us and stand aside," said Fantomex, who was already storming towards the core despite his wounds.

"Guess ve know who comes in third as vell," muttered Nightcrawler.

As Domino's bullets stopped flying, Romulus now found himself surrounded. He was backed up the core and had none of his warriors present to aid him. He quickly looked towards the wounded Daken for assistance. He was still struggling to overcome the bullet wound he took to chest.

"Don't worry…Honorable Grandfather," he said as he coughed up blood, "I will fight by your side."

He barely made it to his feet. Then Cyclops hit him with another punishing optic blast. That one was so strong it sent him clear across the lab, landing him right next to the broken doorway. Now even more bloodied and battered than before, he was in no position to help his grandfather.

"That was for Jean, asshole!" said Cyclops, "Consider yourself lucky. Romulus is in for _much_ worse!"

Romulus scorned his grandson for being too weak to stay in the battle. He was left to stare down Wolverine, Sabretooth, X-23, Warpath, Mystique, Nightcrawler, Deadpool, and Fantomex on his own. Even with his skill, it was a difficult battle at a time when he should have been focusing on his warriors that were currently scattered across the globe. If he was going to realize his vision, he had to resort to more _drastic_ measures.

"Your crazy stunt ends here, Romulus!" proclaimed Warpath.

"You may be a skilled warrior, but do you really think you can take us all?" questioned X-23.

"Bearing in mind your answer amounts to dick because we're still gonna kick your ass!" snarled Sabretooth.

"You'll even get to watch us while we shut down your precious warriors if you're lucky!" seethed Wolverine.

The former living weapons drew their claws in anticipation. The high price Romulus paid for his vision was coming back to haunt him. As he looked around at the threats before him, he saw that vision falling apart.

A lifetime of planning hadn't been enough. War and conflict still found a way to propagate. While angry and frustrated, Romulus did not lose his focus. His hand had since healed from the bullet wound. Upon removing what was left of the gauntlet from his hand, he made a fateful decision.

"You're all making a grave mistake!" he told them, "For every moment you delay my vision, more will die in the endless cycles of conflict."

"Oh boo hoo, you don't get to place peacemaker/demigod. I swear you're worse than Donald Trump," joked Deadpool.

"Save your breath, pops. You're old enough to know you can't bury your head in your own bullshit," said Wolverine as he prepared to attack.

"I'm also old enough to know the value of a failsafe," quipped Romulus, "Unlike you, my vision will live to see another day."

With his back against the damaged core, Romulus opened a small panel near the controls and pressed a large red button. Within seconds, the whole lab blared with red alarms.

" _Emergency protocol omega initiated. Activating warrior defense strategy X."_

"Ooh, that does _not_ sound promising," said Deadpool as he looked around.

"Emergency protocols my ass! I'll kill you before you even think of escaping," roared Sabretooth.

The feral mutant ran out ahead of Wolverine and prepared to tear into his former mentor. He was only five feet away when a brief flash appeared before him. From this flash, one of Romulus's Weapon X warriors appeared. Before Sabretooth could lay a hand on Romulus, he was stopped by a wall of telekinesis and thrown back.

"HRRRRR! DAMN YOU, ROMULUS!" roared Sabretooth as he was knocked back.

" _Defense strategy X commencing,"_ said the warrior.

Within seconds, more Weapon X warriors appeared. It wasn't long before the entire lab was swarming with them. They instinctively surrounded Romulus. Then they surrounded X-Force and their associates.

They appeared everywhere, even atop the pods where Domino was still perched. She had to leap down off them, falling around where Illyana and the Scarlet Witch were standing next to Angel. The Scarlet Witch used her hexing powers to ensure she landed softly. However, she soon found herself surrounded as well.

"I don't think I have enough bullets for this," said Domino.

"I don't think I have enough magic for it either," said Illyana.

"Seeing as how we're out of backup plans, I'm open to a new strategy," said the Scarlet Witch as she prepared to defend herself.

"We're…going to need a minute, darling," said Emma as she looked around anxiously.

Everyone else seemed to share Emma's anxiety. Romulus was more resourceful than they ever could have imagined. He didn't just have experience and skill protecting him. He had an entire army of unbeatable Weapon X warriors. Being outnumbered and outgunned, this was one battle they weren't equipped to overcome.

"Is this how it's gonna end?" grunted Wolverine, "You gonna have your little drones do your dirty work?"

"This isn't the end, my son. This is destiny," said Romulus as he stood behind his army of waiting warriors, "Every warrior has a purpose. Every war has a turning point. This is ours. If you refuse to be part of it, then you will burn in the fires of war!"

* * *

 **Up next: Crimes Against Inhumanity Part 4**


	17. Issue 165: Crimes Against Inhumanity 4

**Issue #165  
Crimes Against Inhumanity Part 4**

* * *

 _Professor Charles Xavier and his X-men fight for peace and understanding in a world that hates and fears them. The fight grew to such lengths that it led Professor Xavier to create the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. This program integrated the X-men with government forces led by General Grimshaw and the mutant soldier, Captain Jack Freeman. It was a bold move that has since complicated the conflict. A man named Romulus eventually exploited that conflict in a bold, world-wide attack._

 _While the X-men were bound by the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, X-Force sought out to confront Romulus. In doing so they were captured and used in Romulus's plot to create the ultimate warriors. With these warriors, he hopes to wipe out every army and destroy all weapons so that mankind will no longer be able to wage war._

 _He also revealed that he had been the mysterious mentor that trained Wolverine, Sabretooth, and Mystique during Team X. He also played a part in X-23's creation. On top of it all, he reveals that he is Wolverine's biological father._

 _For a while, it seemed as though Romulus has X-Force at their mercy. Then a small group of X-men along with Deadpool and Fantomex defied the Mutant Monitoring Initiative and tracked Romulus to his White Cell base. However, in their efforts to defeat this man, Romulus proved resourceful. Even as he wages war on war itself, he prepares to destroy those that would oppose his ultimate vision._

* * *

 **Pentagon – MSA Command Center**

"Somebody please talk to me! Army? Navy? Marines? Coast Guard? Hell, I'll accept the Montana Militia at this point!" yelled an anxious female corporal into a damaged communication link.

"Give it a rest, corporal. Nobody's answering," said General Grimshaw, who took cover next to her.

"We're under attack here, sir! We need backup!" said the officer.

"Something tells me that the rest of our forces need it too. And if everyone needs it, then that means no one is getting it."

His logic was as grim, but valid. The armies that were supposed to defend the world needed defending themselves. Someone with obscene resources and equally obscene intent decided to wage war on the world. They bought that war right to the very heart of the United States military.

General Grimshaw pulled the corporal away from her communications terminal in order to avoid another optic blast. He and a number of other officers took cover in what was left of their central command center at the Pentagon. Most had already evacuated. Some tried to aid the other parts of the building that were under attack.

There seemed to be little anyone could do. These masked warriors were unstoppable. They were fast and agile in addition to being durable. They had firepower, telekinesis, and teleportation abilities that made it seem like they were coming from every direction. While they seemed to avoid killing too many soldiers, they showed no restraint at destroying their capabilities to fight back.

The whole MSA hub was in ruins. Four masked warriors laid waste to every computer terminal, communications uplink, and data server. Psylocke, Colossus, and Captain Freeman attempted to fight back alongside Charles Xavier. They had little luck in doing so. These warriors were too powerful and too organized.

"These men…are too…strong," grunted Colossus, who was locked in a grapple with one of the warriors.

"They're fast too," groaned Psylocke as she missed one of the warriors with her psionic blades and got a heavy dose of telekinesis in the process.

"I get it, guys. You don't need to keep reminding everyone!" said Captain Freeman while narrowly avoiding a claw slash.

"Argh! Well…I think…it bears…repeating, comrade," said Colossus as he took an optic blast to the head, "What we are doing is clearly _not_ working,"

"Even I need time to adapt!" grunted the Green Beret, "Any luck on your end, Xavier?"

"Not the kind I would prefer, Captain," said Professor Xavier, who was concentrating while a couple of MSA agents defended him, "These men have telepathic abilities. They're blocking me out and trying to attack with probes of their own. I can barely keep my own shields up."

"Well, we better find another way soon!" said Psylocke as she narrowly avoided an optic blast, "Once these blokes run out of equipment to destroy, they'll only have us left to target."

Professor Xavier felt a thick sweat form over his head. His psychic attacks yielded no results. The minds of these warriors were built like Wolverine's, except they had their own telepathy with which to fight back. They were like computers carrying out a program and with the destruction in the Pentagon, they were definitely succeeding.

Colossus, Psylocke, and Captain Freeman continued incurring injuries. Captain Freeman had adapted his body to become more durable. One of the warriors fought back by rapidly teleporting around him and striking him with head blows. Two more did the same with Colossus, utilizing more optic blasts to wear him down.

They even seemed to use his metal form as a means of destruction, blowing him back against any piece of heavy equipment that wasn't easily destroyed. The warrior taking on Psylocke didn't try to match her agility. While she attacked with her psionic blades, the warrior simply used telekinesis to keep her off her feet and slam her against nearby walls.

"Hnn…is it too late to swap powers, Colossus?" groaned Psylocke, now with a dislocated shoulder.

"I don't think metal skin would fare much better," grunted Colossus, falling to his needs after taking an optic blast to the head.

"We'll have to fall back," said Captain Freeman, "We can't save this area, but the least we can do is-UNGH!"

The Green Beret was cut off when one of the warriors struck his legs with a wave of telekinesis, tripping him so that he fell flat on his face. The warrior made sure he stayed down by driving his claws into his upper shoulder, wounding the mutant soldier in a way that was difficult to adapt from.

With Captain Freeman and Psylocke injured, the mysterious warriors turned their attention towards Professor Xavier. He was still guarded by a couple of MSA agents who anxiously fired back with their weapons. None of their shots landed. The warriors didn't even notice when they incurred a wound. With perfect coordination, they used their telekinesis to disarm the agents. This left both them and Xavier vulnerable.

"My rifle!" shouted one of the agents.

"Whoa! Looks like you're on your own here, Xavier. This was _not_ part of our training," said the other.

"I need more time," said the Professor intently, "Too much time to make sense of it all!"

The two warriors used their telekinesis again to shove the two MSA agents out of the way. Their eyes glowed red as they prepared to attack the Professor with an optic blast. Xavier was forced to stop his psychic probe. His only option at this point was to run, but he was unlikely to get far.

' _No…it can't end like this. Is this going to be the legacy of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative? Failing to stop an attack that crippled the world?'_

The warriors were about to attack. Then in an unexpected turn, their eyes stopped glowing and they froze where they stood. For a moment, they looked like computers processing a new set of commands.

" _Emergency Protocol Omega initiated. Returning to core for Defense Strategy X,"_ they said in perfect unison.

Then as suddenly as they appeared, the four masked warriors teleported away. They left behind a decimated MSA control hub and many unanswered questions. Colossus, Psylocke, and Captain Freeman emerged injured and confused. General Grimshaw and several officers rose up, taking in the damage that they had just incurred.

"Talk to me, Xavier. What just happened?" asked General Grimshaw.

"I'm…not entirely sure, General," said Xavier as he did a quick psychic scan, "I detected a brief psionic signal. It seemed to come from all directions. I disappeared too quickly before I could make sense of it."

"I sensed it too, Professor…in addition to my shoulder popping back in place," groaned Psylocke, who was helped up by Colossus.

"You'll have to make sense of it later," grunted Captain Freeman with blood dripping from his mouth, "We've got a hell of a mess on our hands."

"Something tells me, it is _much_ worse than we expect," said Colossus.

It wasn't an unreasonable assumption. No one dared contest it as they struggled to process what just happened. Everyone was just beginning to catch their breath. Then General Grimshaw's cell phone went off.

"I presume that's the president," said Professor Xavier.

"You really are the world's greatest psychic, Xavier," said Grimshaw as he recognized the number, "If he's able to call, then something must have changed on his end as well. He's going to want answers. For all our sake, someone better figure them out."

* * *

 **White Cell Base – Lab Core**

Romulus had multiple lifetimes of combat experience. In his long, illustrious career on the battlefield he understood a few key tenants of war that often went overlooked. Chief among them was the idea that there was no such thing as overkill when it came to overwhelming an enemy. In order to carry out his vision, he was prepared to do more than overwhelm the likes of X-Force, Deadpool, Fantomex, and even his own son.

One by one, every one of his warriors was returning to him. Since there were so many, he had some appearing outside the building and around the entrance. It ensured that there was no escape for his enemies.

Wolverine, Sabretooth, X-23, Deadpool, and Fantomex would not thwart him. Neither would Cyclops, Warpath, Domino, Mystique, Nightcrawler, Emma Frost, or the Scarlet Witch. They already had wounded with Phoenix, Angel, and Hellion. There was no way they stood a chance at escaping his full army of Weapon X warriors.

"Now this is just unfair," said Deadpool as warriors continued to appear, "Seriously, are you going to give us a _slight_ chance here?"

"We can take them!" said Sabretooth intently, "I'm so pissed right now I could rip the heads off every one of them!"

"You mean like you've always threatened with me, Creed?" grumbled Wolverine.

"Even you were never _this_ annoying, Logan," said Sabretooth.

"You're welcome to try opposing my warriors," said Romulus, "Your collective efforts may allow you to overcome one, but an _army_ of them?"

"Even I'm not that lucky," said Domino, "I didn't bring enough bullets for this shit."

"I can just teleport us out of here, you know? There's no shame in running," said Illyana.

"You're welcome to try. Bear in mind my warriors can teleport as well," said Romulus, "There's nowhere on this planet you can flee. They _will_ find you. They _will_ defeat you. They won't be gentle either."

Wolverine's gaze narrowed on the old warrior. He was insulated by nearly a dozen Weapon X warriors. This man, his own father, was the source of so much torment in his life. He was behind Team X. He was behind Weapon X. There was no point in his life when he wasn't being used by this man. Now as he confronted the truth head on, he was unable to do anything about.

"So what are you waiting for old man? What's stopping you from finishing us off?" taunted Wolverine.

"I don't know what you're trying to accomplish Wolverine, but I suggest you quit while you're _behind_ ," said Emma Frost.

"Believe me, if I truly wanted to end you then I would have done it by now and used your corpses to fuel my vision," said Romulus, "But I stopped taking pleasure in senseless slaughter long ago. I truly hoped that you would come to understand my vision. You of all people should be able to appreciate a world without war."

"Just because someone takes all the guns away doesn't mean war ain't a problem," retorted Wolverine.

"Makes it a _lot_ less fun as well," added Deadpool.

"You act like your age has made you wise, but you're wrong," added X-23, "It's just made you insane. And we'll never be insane enough to get behind your twisted vision!"

"If you truly believe that, then ending you here is an act of mercy," said Romulus, "I'm through trying to reason with you. Now my warriors will end you and you'll forever be denied a world without conflict!"

Wolverine, Sabretooth, X-23, Fantomex, and Deadpool braced themselves for the attack along with the rest of X-Force. His warriors had the power to end them in any number of ways. Romulus gave the order. However, the attack never came. The warriors simply froze where they stood, their eyes behind their masks flickering erratically.

"Uh…anyone else find this ridiculously anti-climactic?" said Deadpool.

"Guess these special warriors of yours aren't so special," said Mystique as she waved her hand in front of their faces.

"This…this isn't possible," said Romulus in confusion, "My warriors are conditioned to obey me with or without the core!"

"Oh poo, I knew I was forgetting something," said Fantomex, "Some of our associates figured out how you were controlling these minions of yours. They've been hard at work tweaking it. Guess they succeeded."

"Associates? Who the hell are you talking about?" demanded Sabretooth.

"The ones that are in the process of ending this debacle once and for all," said Fantomex, "I won't name names, but one of them has dark hair, a computer-like mind, and looks strikingly beautiful in skin-tight outfits."

* * *

 **Meanwhile**

"We've done it!" exclaimed Beast, "We've overridden the psionic signal."

"Finally! That mean we can tell Storm to level this place?" said Rogue as she stood watch.

"Not yet," said Sage, "I'm picking up some unusual signals. There's a lot of data streaming in and it would be a shame to leave it behind."

The wait within the psionic transmission terminal had been agonizing. Rogue, Gambit, Sage, and Beast traced the signal to one of the buildings as fast as they could. They did so knowing that Phoenix, Fantomex, and Deadpool would fight their way to the main building just as quickly. It was all but guaranteed that they would find trouble.

Many of the elite guards that were patrolling this base were paralyzed. Storm took care of any automated defenses with her lightening. The psionic transmission room was heavily secured. There were no fewer than five squads guarding it. Rogue and Gambit had to punch and blow their way through numerous barriers. It allowed Beast and Sage to get to work as soon as they arrived. After hooking Sage's device into the system, they sat down at various terminals and proceeded to undo the damage that White Cell had done

"Hmm…this is odd," said Sage as she looked over a new stream of data, "All these signals seem to be tied to individual frequencies. I suspect they represent those mysterious Weapon X knock-offs that are attacking all major military instillations."

"What's so odd about that? It makes sense that this is how they would be controlled," said Beast.

"Yeah…for those of us with an extra dozen IQ points," said Gambit.

"Keep it simple for us, Sage. We ain't got time for a quantum physics lesson," said Rogue impatiently.

"You don't know how right you are, Rogue," said Sage as she took in more data, "Before we overrode the signal, all those frequencies I mentioned abruptly disappeared and reappeared at a central location."

"And where might that location be? If they're coming in behind us, then we should probably skip the explanation and start running," said Rogue.

"No, the location isn't here. It's in what I presume to be the central control building…as in the same building that Phoenix, Fantomex, and Deadpool ran towards. If X-Force is here, it stands to reason that they would be there as well."

Gambit, Rogue, and Beast exchanged glances. It was as odd as it was disconcerting. If all this activity was being concentrated in once place, then both X-Force as well as the others could be in grave danger. Overriding the signal was just one step in this battle. Now came the most important part of their mission.

"I'll add to your presumption that those three have managed to put themselves in undue danger," said Beast, "We need to end this once and for all."

"What would that entail? Is there any way to find out if our friends are still in one piece?" asked Rogue.

"It may be easier than you think, Rogue," said Sage as she made some adjustments on her device, "Now that we've overridden the signal, we control how each frequency will self-destruct. I'll contact the others to determine the most effective means of doing so."

"Sounds like it'll be quite a spectacle," said Gambit with a grin, "Remy can only imagine how satisfying it must be."

* * *

 **White Cell – Central Lab Core**

Romulus's vision was crumbling before his very eyes. Decades of pain-staking work was literally disintegrating to nothing. He sought to end all war and these narrow-minded fools so arrogantly opposed him.

By now, every one of his warriors had returned from their field of battle. They all continued to shift and contort erratically. The glowing eyes behind their masks sparked like a computer that was crashing. They couldn't respond to Romulus's orders. They couldn't respond to any orders. Romulus was no longer in control and his stoic demeanor gave way to unparalleled outrage.

" _Mission…new data…failure…overridden,"_ the warriors said in their mechanical tones.

"Pull yourselves together, my warriors! I command you!" roared Romulus.

"Doesn't feel good, does it? Not being in control," commented Cyclops, still hovering protectively over Phoenix.

"Give it a rest, old man. You've lost this war," said Wolverine

"Silence! This isn't over. Need I remind you that I still have the full resources of White Cell at my disposal? I can fix whatever you've done to my creations and still have plenty of energy left to end you!"

Romulus's threat was soon followed by deep rumble that reverberated throughout the building. The lights flickered and the core sparked more erratically. Through the open doors outside the lab they could feel cold winds howling through the building, leaving little doubt to who was behind it.

"I think that weather anomaly you mentioned is getting worse," said Warpath with a smug grin.

"Storm must be busting out zhe F6 tornadoes," said Nightcrawler, "Zhat usually means it's a good idea to leave."

"No way! I ain't leaving this asshole behind," roared Sabretooth.

"I take no pleasure in agreeing with this Neanderthal, but he has a point. He must pay for what he's done," said Fantomex

Many shared that sentiment, but another round of more intense rumbles dissuaded any lingering desire to stick around. They had wounded with Phoenix, Hellion, and Angel. They couldn't risk staying too long just to vent their anger on Romulus.

"If you guys wanna be buried with this asshole, be my guest. He'll get what's coming to him. Just not as much as he deserves," said Wolverine as he stared down his father.

"You have something horribly cruel in mind that we can do quickly?" asked Mystique.

"And how can we be sure he won't try something like this again?" asked X-23.

"I have a few ideas. I think you'll like 'em!" said Wolverine with a wolfish grin.

"INSOLENT CHILD!" roared Romulus, "YOU WILL NEVER ESCAPE YOUR PURPOSE!"

Shoving aside his malfunctioning warriors, the imposing man lunged towards his son with the murderous rage that carried him through countless battles. Wolverine matched that rage with a feral growl of his own. This time he was ready for him.

"X…Wanda…let's shut him up!" he yelled.

"Gladly!" said X-23.

With Romulus focused on Wolverine, X-23 slipped in and ded a sweep-kick with her clawed foot. That tripped Romulus up while severing the tendons in his lower leg. As he lost his balance and fell forward, Wolverine drew his claws and lunged forward with an uppercut-like motion. Romulus ended up falling impaled by the neck.

The adamantium blades went clear through him, wounding him in a way he couldn't brush off. He tried to use his strength to push away, but the Scarlet Witch hit him with a hex bolt. This rendered him paralyzed and weak, leaving him at the mercy of his son.

"Ack!" Romulus choked.

"Ooh! There goes your shot at American Idol," said Deadpool.

"That hex field won't hold him for long! And neither will this building!" said the Scarlet Witch, "If you're going to do something, do it fast!"

"Don't worry. This won't take long," said Wolverine as he stared down the old warrior, "Anyone who doesn't have a nasty history with this asshole, get outta here."

"After being trapped here for three days, I couldn't be happier to leave," said Emma.

"I haven't been here for more than a few minutes and I am ready too," said Illyana.

With Romulus subdued and his warriors no longer a threat, Illyana Rasputin opened up a sizable portal. Emma Frost led an exhausted Julian through while Cyclops took the still unconscious Phoenix in his arms and followed. Domino and Warpath rushed to retrieve the badly wounded Angel. He was still breathing, but would need some serious treatment back in Nova Roma. Nightcrawler joined the Scarlet Witch, who was already on her way out. Before he left, he turned back to his mother.

"Are you coming, mother? I assume you don't vish to be in zhe same room vith Sabretooth for too long," said Nightcrawler.

"I appreciate the concern, Kurt. But after three days of this shit, I can handle it," said Mystique, "Besides, I've worked long and hard to witness this moment. I need closure."

Nightcrawler nodded in an understanding gesture. His mother had gone through a lot since she learned about her true past. This was part of her confronting it. Confident that Romulus would face justice, he followed the Scarlet Witch through Illyana's portal.

The only ones that remained were Wolverine, Sabretooth, X-23, Fantomex, Deadpool, and Mystique. They stood around the paralyzed Romulus as he sank to his knees, impaled by Wolverine's claws. This man had done so much to hurt them. He was the true face behind Weapon X. He was the reason so many tried to turn them into weapons of war. Even as the lab continued to strain under Storm's attack, they remained focused on ending this man's madness.

"You know, there's a lot of shit I wanna ask you," said Wolverine, "You're my father. You know everything about me. You could fill in all these gaps in my memory. You could end all the frustration that has been messing with me for so damn long."

"Hrrrr…I could," said Romulus, his voice highly strained, "But you…would never…understand."

"Can we please kill him now? Even when he's choking on his own blood, his voice pisses me off!" said Sabretooth.

"I second the big, scary cat-man!" said Deadpool, "If this guy put his stamp of approval on all things Weapon X, that's all the reason I need to fill him with bullets."

"That's exactly my point," said Wolverine, "Despite all the answers you could give me, I'm willing to throw them away along with your sorry ass. You say you're so old, but I've still learned something you haven't. I've learned to let go of the past."

"You've learned…nothing," said Romulus.

"Neither have you," retorted Wolverine, "That's exactly why killing you would be more trouble than it's worth. Ain't no way we're gonna finish what one too many wars couldn't. The only way you'll ever learn dick is if you come face-to-face with the present rather than living in the past."

Wolverine turned to Fantomex, who he assumed was vindictive enough to want to see Romulus face some form of justice.

"Hey Frenchie! Assuming that chick with the computer-like mind was Sage, does she take telepathic requests? I got an idea on how to deal with this schmuck and his army of meat puppets."

"I'm sure she's open to suggestions," said Fantomex.

Utilizing his techno-organic material, Fantomex contacted Sage. Since he had such strong ties to her, she was inclined to listen even if it made her uncomfortable.

' _My dear, Sage. I have Wolverine with me and he has a few requests. I assume your0 elegant brilliance will more than suffice.'_

' _Spare me the flattery, Fantomex. Stay out of my mind while you're at it.'_

' _If only that were possible. But that's a debate for another time. Now will you heed my request or not?'_

' _I'll patch him through and anyone else that may be with him. I only ask that you keep your obscenely dirty thoughts to yourself.'_

Fantomex did as she requested. Sage used her telepathy to link up with Wolverine. As he shared her instructions, they were broadcast for the others to hear. When they heard what Wolverine had in mind, they couldn't help but grin. Even Sabretooth seemed to be in agreement. This was by far the most appropriate way to defeat Romulus once and for all.

"Ooh! That's horrible! That's _sooo_ cruel! I love it! I love it as much as Bea Arthur in a pool full of chimichangas!" cooed Deadpool.

"If he's not going to give us any answers, then I say it's more than appropriate," said Mystique with a coy grin.

"But how can we be sure that he won't escape?" asked X-23.

"There ain't a lot of guarantees with pricks like this," said Wolverine, snarling at Romulus once more, "The best we can do is make sure it's as unpleasant as possible."

With approval from the rest of Weapon X, Wolverine roughly yanked his claws out from Romulus's throat. The old warrior fell to his hands and knees, clutching his bleeding neck. The Scarlet Witch's hex bolts made it so he couldn't heal. While he was writhing in pain, he noticed a shift in his warriors. Their sparking eyes flickered as if they were receiving new commands. However, none of these commands came from him. That in and of itself was more infuriating.

Wolverine, Mystique, X-23, Sabretooth, Fantomex, and Deadpool stood back. As they did, the army of Weapon X warriors that had since crowded the lab turned their attention towards him. Their glowing eyes were now dark red and sparking at an unstable level.

Following Sage's new command, they drew their claws and surrounded Romulus. In a last desperate gasp, he tried reaching out to grasp his son. Then the warriors all drove their claws into the old warrior's flesh in an uncontrolled rage.

" _Termination protocols initiated. Implementing new self-destruct sequence,"_ they all said at once.

"Arrrgghhh! No! My…my warriors," howled Romulus.

"Relax, old man. You'll live," said Wolverine, "You love your army so damn much that you're willing to turn your own son into a meat puppet? You can spend the rest of your unnatural life with them."

"ERRRRRRRRRR! JAMES!" exclaimed Romulus, reaching out even as more claws were driven into him.

"You'll always be part of my past, _father_ ," Wolverine went on, "In another life I may have spent every waking moment pissed off at the fate you forced on me. But I got a new life now and I'm gonna make it work _without_ you."

Wolverine continued to watch as more Weapon X warriors surrounded the wounded Romulus. It got to a point where the hoards of mindless drones started piling on top of him. It created this massive mound of bodies that grew as more Weapon X warriors swarmed around their creator. Now assured of his father's fate, Wolverine was ready to put this madness behind him.

"Let's blow this joint. Storm will finish the rest," said Wolverine.

"Probably the smartest thing you ever said, runt," said Sabretooth with a grin, "You sure we can't stay longer? I wouldn't mine enjoying the show now that Mystique is here."

"Keep it in your pants or we'll leave you here, Creed," said Mystique menacingly, who had to be held back by Wolverine.

"What about Daken?" asked X-23.

Wolverine paused for a moment and looked back towards Daken's wounded form. He was still out cold, but his loyalty to Romulus was absolute. Meeting both his father and his son in the span of a few days was a lot to take in. Through his many experiences since joining the X-men, he realized that sometimes there was no way to work around the past.

"Romulus decided his fate too. Ain't nothing I can do for him that won't make it worse," said Wolverine as he took X-23's hand in his.

"That's a relief. The idea of having him as a brother is just too disturbing," she said.

"Aww, I knew we would have time for a family moment before we left this dump," said Deadpool, "This would make _such_ an awesome Christmas card. The Weapon X family all here sharing a moment!"

"You're an idiot, Wade," said Fantomex.

"Would you have me any other way?"

"Let's get outta here and I'll see if I have time to list them," said Wolverine.

With X-23 and Mystique by his side, Wolverine made his way to Illyana's portal. Sabretooth, Fantomex, and Deadpool followed him. Illyana was still standing by, keeping it open and watching closely as the lab continued to destabilize. The tremors throughout the lab became much louder. It sounded like Storm had destroyed much of the upper levels already. The pressure of the winds was causing the lower levels to collapse on themselves. It would effectively bury Romulus's legacy once and for all.

Once everyone was through the portal, Illyana entered as well. Moments later, the portal faded. By now the entire lab was inundated with countless Weapon X warriors that Romulus went to such lengths to perfect. The army that was supposed to end all wars would be the end of his vision.

Even as the lab started to collapse, every warrior surrounded him. Then as the roof started to cave in, each warrior started glowing in preparations for one last teleportation. Underneath all this chaos, Romulus remained conscious.

"My son…your fate is sealed. You can never…escape. I shall see to it," he uttered before succumbing to his fate.

With those final words, the army of Weapon X warriors each teleported simultaneously. They left in their wake a blinding flash. Unlike before, they did not have a destination. When they disappeared, they disappeared into the very fabric of space. They were now locked in between the dimensional gateway with their creator, never to fulfill his vision.

"Honorable Grandfather…no," gasped a barely conscious Daken.

It was too late. The army that Romulus spent a lifetime creating had disappeared within the blink of an eye along with their creator. They left nothing behind but a decimated lab that was rapidly crumbling. Daken, still gravely wounded, turned over so that he was lying on his back. As he looked up, he saw the lights flicker out completely and the roof start to crack. For Daken, he lost more than just a lab and a mentor. He lost his purpose and his own father was to blame.

"I have…no father," seethed Daken, "Wolverine…you can't bury your past! You hear me? I swear by the blood of my grandfather I'll…"

Daken didn't get to finish. The lab core finally collapsed, burying him along with what was left of Romulus's vision.

* * *

 **White Cell Base – Outside**

"If Phoenix and the others are still in there, they better leave soon. I'm through holding back!" yelled a determined Storm as she hovered in a sea of swirling clouds.

It was a full-blown hurricane throughout much of the base. By now the elite units had regained control. Sage made sure their suits were powered down so that they couldn't use their enhanced agilities. Storm had also destroyed most of their automated defenses, causing many to scatter for cover. Once the emergency protocols were announced throughout the base, they ceased trying to attack her and evacuated. That included the alpha unit, who had since recovered and were coordinating the withdrawal.

"I so want to knock that crazy bitch out of the sky right now," grumbled Sasquatch as he looked up into the clouds.

"You heard the announcement, Sasquatch. We must evacuate!" said Vindicator, who urged him along with Puck by her side.

"We should be more worried about Zero and Typhoid Mary," said Karma, who was helping Guardian load some units into a convoy jeep, "What happened to them? It looks like they just shut down or something."

"With the mind-warping shit they've been through, that may not be too far off," commented Guardian, "We can piece together what's left of their minds later. Right now, we gotta get these convoys outta here!"

"Wait! What about Daken?" exclaimed Northstar, who was limping along with Aurora supporting him, "He hasn't checked in! We must look for him!"

"There's no time, Jean-Paul!" said Aurora, having to shove him into the jeep, "White Cell has been compromised. We must leave before we're caught in a far worse storm!"

"Besides, your boyfriend's tough," Puck reminded him, "He'll make it out…eventually."

Northstar was still reluctant to leave, but he was in no condition look for Daken. His knee was in shambles and he could barely limp, let alone run. He slipped into the jeep with Aurora, Puck, Sasquatch, Karma, Guardian, and Vindicator following close behind. Agent Zero and Typhoid Mary were in the back, still conscious yet not moving.

As soon as they were in, Guardian signaled the other jeeps. Through the rain and high winds, the alpha unit led the elite units off the base. As they drove away from their base, they looked behind to see the complex they fought so hard to protect completely crumble.

Storm's hurricane-force winds and punishing tornados finally finished the job. She had weakened the structure to a point where it started collapsing in on itself. It was like hitting the whole building with a giant hammer, causing the foundation and the supports to crumble. Judging by the wind flows, there was a lot of open space underground. This space eventually collapsed, causing it to collapse in a large sink hole.

As the structure collapsed, the rest of the team caught up with her. Rogue, Gambit, Sage, and Beast emerged from the psionic transmission building and braved her winds to reach her. Now that the building was crumbling, she decreased the intensity. She had clearly done her part. She trusted the others to come through.

"Stormy! Wanna tone it down to a Category 2 for us?" shouted Gambit over the winds.

"I believe you've made your point, dear Storm," said Beast, having to cover his face from the winds.

"Gladly," said Storm as she redirected her winds, "Please tell me you succeeded in ending these senseless attacks."

"If the data I downloaded is accurate, there was nothing senseless about them," said Sage, who had several computer disks in her hand.

"Senseless or not, you don't have to worry about it Storm. We got the job done," said Rogue proudly, "The rest of these hired guns are running away. Whoever was callin' the shots ain't calling them no more."

"A recent text message from Professor Xavier confirms that the world-wide attack has stopped," said Beast, "As for who was behind it, that's another matter. I assume that was what Deadpool, Phoenix, and Fantomex were supposed to uncover."

"It was. How else do you think Fantomex convinced me to direct my winds at the building they were infiltrating?" said Storm.

"They wanted you to attack a building they were inside?" exclaimed Rogue, "You sure you weren't listening to Deadpool by mistake?"

"Relax Rogue, they're okay," assured Sage.

"They damn well better be! They best have some answers as well!" added Rogue.

Just as Rogue was starting to get anxious, three figures emerged from the rubble. Once they were within shouting distance, one of them made his presence known.

"Boy have we got a story for you, boys and girls," exclaimed Deadpool, "We even found us a souvenir. Ain't that right, Frenchie?"

"I wouldn't call it a souvenir, Wade. More like a mess that we had to help clean up," said Fantomex, who had the unconscious Jean Grey in his arms.

Beast, Storm, Rogue, and Gambit rushed towards the two former living weapons as soon as they saw their wounded friend. Phoenix looked like she had been in a pretty nasty fight. She didn't have too many bruises, but it was clear she was exhausted.

"Jean! What happened to her?" exclaimed Storm.

"Relax. She's fine," assured Fantomex as he set her down on the ground.

"Hnn…so tired," groaned Phoenix, "Cyclops…Wolverine…where are they? I sensed them here just a second ago."

"So X-Force _was_ here," said Gambit, "How in the heck did they find out about this place before we did?"

"Didn't you hear that remark I made about having an awesome story?" said Deadpool.

"Believe it or not, Deadpool may be underplaying the _breadth_ of what we uncovered," said Fantomex.

"Me? _Not_ being outrageous enough? Surely you jest!" said Deadpool, pretending to be offended.

"Ah'd rather not hear Deadpool tell us the story. Hell, Ah'm not sure Ah wanna know. Last Ah checked we're still on thin ice with the feds by just being here," said Rogue.

"From what I've gathered, that may no longer be our most pressing issue," said Sage.

"The lovely Tessa speaks the truth. We successfully halted further conflict and took care of the man behind it. However, he left quite a bit of destruction in his wake. It actually isn't as bad as it could have been if you can believe that."

Now that the X-men could catch their breath, they looked around to process the aftermath of the conflict. The base was moderately damaged and mostly deserted. Even if the attack was over, they had a lot of explaining to do. That would be in addition to all the damage those Weapon X drones did. There were sure to be major implications and the X-men would likely be on the front lines.

"In that case, perhaps this is a good time to part ways," said Beast, still not comfortable with the way Fantomex leered at his girlfriend, "You've done your part. You helped us thwart another catastrophe and for that we thank you."

"What? Your kicking us to the curb before we can tell our story? And I was going to start a camp fire and make smores!" said Deadpool.

"We have plenty of data to work with. I'm sure you two have your own unique _affairs_ ," said Beast in a somewhat overt tone.

"I'm always willing to make time for others," said Fantomex, not taking his eyes off Sage.

"Well, we're not," said Rogue, who helped Phoenix up while standing next to Beast, "Unlike you two, we got real-world jobs with real-world problems to work out."

"We wouldn't mind helping…for a price of course," said Fantomex coyly.

"We appreciate the offer, but we can handle it," said Beast as he stood protectively next to Sage.

"Oh I don't doubt that you can," quipped Fantomex, "I just doubt that some of you will be able to handle the many smaller problems. Sooner or later, those problems will catch up to you. We just learned that first hand and trust me…you would be wise to heed it."

His tone came off as both a warning and a threat. Beast maintained his amicable appearance, but the animal within in growled at the way Fantomex continued taunting him and Sage. For reasons she hid behind turn-off emotions, Sage didn't respond to Fantomex. There was nothing she could say that wouldn't fuel Fantomex's intrigue.

The mood was getting tense even as the skies cleared and the dust settled from this battle. Storm and Gambit stepped in to keep Beast from losing his cool. Even a man of his intelligence could be overwhelmed and they had faced enough overwhelming forces for one day.

"Easy there, teach. This ain't a good time to let this sort of thing get to you," coaxed Gambit.

"I'll repeat what Henry said earlier and thank you for your assistance," said Storm as she extended her gratitude to Deadpool and Fantomex, "We appreciate you saving our friend. We appreciate you lending a hand to X-Force as I'm sure you did."

"Would you believe me if I told you they didn't thank us quite as nicely?" said Fantomex.

"Wolverine said I'm crazy. For him, that's like a hug, a kiss, and a cold beer," said Deadpool.

"Well, we have. Now please…let us do what we must and we won't stand in the way of whatever devious activities you have planned," said Storm.

She kept her winds swirling to add a small measure of force to her request. Fantomex remained fixated on Sage for a moment longer. There was still an unmistakable connection with her.

He felt it within the techno-organic substance that flowed through his veins. He could tell she felt it too. She stayed close to Beast, as if he was shielding her from it. The look in her stoic eyes indicated that it was only doing so much. That convinced Fantomex that they would eventually confront this feeling. It just wasn't going to happen today.

"Very well," sighed Fantomex, "I suppose we've confronted enough demons from our past today."

"It led to getting clawed, shot, and beaten half to death. Overall, I'd say it's a pretty average Tuesday," said Deadpool.

"But I'm certain our paths will cross again," said Fantomex as he turned away and started walking towards the front gate, "When that day comes, I hope it's under somewhat better circumstances."

"Better…yeah right," muttered Rogue.

"Oh don't be so bitter," said Deadpool as he followed Fantomex, "Every time we show up, more shit blows up and that goes a long way with the readers. It's senseless. It's mindless. But hey! You gotta give the people what they want."

Storm, Beast, Sage, Rogue, and Gambit tried tune out their twisted remarks. With a wounded Phoenix and a major mess back in Washington, they had to get back home. While this attack was over, the stage was set for a much tougher battle.

At some point someone was going to have to sift through this rubble. That could only come after the armies of the world recovered. The MSA and the governments of the world endured a severe blow. It was sure to spark a debate that would have grave implications.

* * *

 **Meanwhile**

As the X-men left the base and many unanswered questions behind, they were closely watched in the distance by a conflicted gaze. Most of the residual forces had already fled. Most of X-Force had fled as well.

Angel and Hellion were wounded. Wolverine, Mystique, and X-23 were in a conflicted mood after everything they learned from Romulus. However, for them it was still possible to make sense of these revelations. For Cyclops, this experience revealed some far harsher truths.

"Are you ready, mien friend?" asked Nightcrawler, who lingered behind with his friend.

"Almost," said Cyclops in a flat tone.

"I hope you're not too worried about Jean. She appeared no vorse for wear after ve left," he told him, "In fact, I'm surprised you didn't stay behind to speak vith her. I don't zhink she vould have mind."

"I wouldn't have either," said the X-Force leader, "But I put her in enough danger for one day. I don't deserve to talk to her."

His voice was laced with a bitter sorrow. Being controlled by Romulus had affected him much more so than anyone else on the team. Even though his plot with Domino and Mystique had worked, being at the mercy of someone like Romulus for over three days took a heavy toll.

It was for that reason that he didn't linger. He had Illyana transport everyone else back to Nova Roma while he stayed behind with Nightcrawler so they could return Jean to the others. Fantomex and Deadpool came with them. He didn't give her any heartfelt goodbyes when he handed her off to them. He couldn't even look at her after what happened in the lab. It was a difficult moment. Never before had he been so conflicted.

"I'm starting to think that maybe all those people that protest may actually have a point," he said solemnly.

"Zhat's just zhe exhaustion and emotional distress talking," said Nightcrawler, "Ve're all a little shaken after vhat Romulus put us through."

"It's not distress, Kurt. It's more than that…much more. Romulus may have failed in realizing his vision, but he proved his point and we can't ignore it."

"Vhat point are you talking about? No offence, but you're starting to scare me, Scott."

"That makes two of us," sighed the beleaguered X-Force leader, "And if I'm too scared to face the woman I love, then we're in even more trouble than we thought."

Nightcrawler was at a loss as Cyclops stared into the distance, watching as the X-men left the base with Jean. He could sense her mind reaching out to his. He wanted to reach back, but he decided to keep himself closed off. He had a lot of unpleasant demons to work on, both with himself and with X-Force. Jean didn't deserve that burden. Nobody did.

Cyclops watched until the X-men were out of sight. The Velocity came flying in to pick them up. Before they soared off into the distance, Cyclops turned back towards Nightcrawler. His expression was still stoic and cold. Nightcrawler continued to show his concern, but there was nothing left for him to say.

"I'm ready now," said Cyclops.

"Is zhere anything I can do to make you at least fake a smile before ve return?" asked Nightcrawler as he placed his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"I doubt it so save yourself the trouble," said the X-Force leader.

"Fair enough," sighed the German mutant, "But I hope you don't let zhis dampen your faith, mien friend. Ve still believe in X-Force. Ve still believe ve're in a good position."

"I'm really not so sure about that anymore," Cyclops sighed.

"Look at it zhis vay…no matter how bad you feel right now, you're still in a better position zhan Sabretooth. I hear Wolverine had Illyana pull a little trick vith her portal. Let's just say zhat he has far more reasons to be upset zhan any of us."

* * *

 **Antarctica**

"What the freakin' hell?"

The angry roars of a very disgruntled Sabretooth echoed through a vast wasteland of snow and wind. He had just emerged from the yellowish light of Illyana's portal. A moment ago he was walking right alongside X-Force. A moment later he felt himself separated. By the time he emerged, he was not at the White Cell base anymore. He was nowhere near civilization anymore.

He now found himself in a vast, barren arctic wasteland. In every direction there was nothing but snow and ice. As the brisk winds blew through his feral form, he quickly realized what had happened.

"LOGAN, YOU FUCKING TRICKED ME! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOUR KID! AND FUCK YOUR GODDAMN FATHER!" he cursed, "YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST THROW ME AWAY? JUST YOU WAIT! I'LL FIND YOU! IF I HAVE TO CLAW MY WAY ACROSS THE WORLD, I'LL HUNT YOU DOWN AND MAKE YOU SUFFER!"

* * *

 **Washington DC - Pentagon**

For any leader of any country, the first priority was defense. Every society needed protection from enemies, foreign and domestic. Every civilization needed a military of some sort. Without it, there was no defense. Without defense, society was vulnerable and a vulnerable society could not survive.

As Commander-in-Chief, President Robert Kelly was obligated to watch over his nation's military. All over the country, reports were coming in about military bases being crippled and expensive military hardware being damaged beyond repair. His wasn't the only country either.

Every country that had a standing army and even non-governmental armed forces were devastated. The extent of that damage was epitomized in the ruins of the Pentagon's inner-most areas. The attack didn't waste time scarring the structure. It went right to the heart of America's military network and as the dust settled from the attacks, President Kelly traveled with the Secret Service to survey the damage.

"The most powerful army in the world…crippled in the span of a _day_ ," mused President Kelly as he walked through the rubble of the MSA control hub.

"I wouldn't say we're crippled, sir. We may be wounded, but it's far from crippled," said General Grimshaw with Captain Freeman by his side.

"Don't you _dare_ try to put a positive spin on this, General. We need to face the cold, hard truth here."

"The truth is it could have been much worse. We're lucky that it ended when it did."

"Luck had nothing to do with it. If we were truly lucky, this never would have happened in the first place."

President Kelly walked past what was left of the main monitor that oversaw the control room. It had been completely destroyed. Glass and plastic was scattered all over the floor. Terminals were shattered with exposed wires randomly sparking at times. The Secret Service surrounded him, but seeing all this damage made even them feel vulnerable. It was a feeling that many others now shared.

"Let's go over the hard facts, General," said President Kelly as he looked over the destruction, "Our naval forces have been cut in half. Our nuclear arsenal has been reduced to a fourth of it's full capacity. Over eighty percent of our bases have been severely damaged. Dozens of uniformed men and women are dead. And these are just preliminary estimates. When the full figures are gathered, it's bound to be devastating."

"You don't need to convince me of that, Mr. President. My people are already swamped with worried families wanting to check in on their loved ones," said the General, "Thankfully, the attack focused mostly on hardware, not taking lives."

"Didn't I just tell you not to put a positive spin on this?" said President Kelly bitterly.

"I wasn't trying to, sir."

"Well try harder because I'm still struggling to make sense of it! We're the most powerful military on the planet and we couldn't stop this attack. Before I came here, I received reports from every ambassador on the payroll and their assistants. They conservatively estimate that the global military footprint has been reduced to sixty percent. _Sixty percent_ …do you know what that entails, General?"

"I'm a military man from a family of military men. I know what it means, sir," said the General, "Soldiers have no guns to fire. Planes have no bombs to drop. In some places, police don't have anything more advanced than a night stick."

"Then you should be able to connect the dots better than me! Not trying to _console_ me with false hope!" said President Kelly, "There are countries in Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa where the destruction of their militaries has caused massive uprisings. Some are already begging for assistance, but for once America can't spare the resources. We even have cities where police are being overwhelmed by rioters. So I ask you, General…how do we paint a rosy picture here?"

General Grimshaw held his head low and sighed. He turned towards Captain Freeman, who was at a loss. They couldn't deny the facts the President laid out for them. The devastation from this attack would take time to compile, but everyone could already sense its severity. They were all vulnerable now, both from outside forces and from their own people.

President Kelly finally turned away from the destruction and faced General Grimshaw. There was frustration in his eyes, but there was also a touch of guilt. The devastation of the attack was made all the more difficult by the revelation of who orchestrated it.

"You got the report from the X-men, didn't you? You should know by now just how responsible we are for this madness," said President Kelly.

"Indeed I did, sir," said the General, "Hank McCoy sent us a file he said he hacked from White Cell. I'm sure there was more to it than that, but it paints a pretty clear. This attack came from White Cell."

"The very organization that I told the X-men to avoid _despite_ plenty of evidence to the contrary," added the President, "Do you have any idea how bad that looks for us?"

"Hindsight is 20/20, sir. It would've have been impossible to probe White Cell in time to stop this. Their political connections and secrecy…"

"Don't even try to make excuses, General!" barked the President, "We had every opportunity to counter this threat, but we didn't. And for what?"

"Politics tend to get in the way of many things, sir. It can't be avoided. You know that better than anyone."

"That doesn't make it right, damn it! After everything we've done with the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, how could we let something like this happen? Did we fail? Or did the system fail?!

"If I had to make any sort of guess, I'd say they both failed. But what do I know?" said Captain Freeman.

President Kelly scolded the mutant soldier. Captain Freeman bit his lip, immediately regretting what he said. General Grimshaw offered a reassuring glance. Even if his remarks were harsh, they were plenty accurate.

It led the President to turn away and throw his hands up in frustration. It was a difficult notion to contemplate. The very initiative they thought would reduce conflict had only led to a more serious crisis. If both the people and the system failed, then what hope was there for the initiative?

"I'm sorry, gentlemen. But I'm at a loss here," said the President as he struggled to catch his breath, "Can someone just tell me what I can expect so I can plan my next move?"

"You still want me to keep avoiding optimism? Because it sounds like you could use it, sir," said General Grimshaw.

"Just start talking and if I smell bullshit, I'll hold my nose," said the President.

General Grimshaw took a deep breath as assembled his thoughts. He had to choose his words carefully because this was a sensitive time for a president that had enough to worry about.

"First and foremost, you can expect some serious outcry when word gets out that White Cell was involved," said General Grimshaw, "Now at the risk of sounding too upbeat, we won't be able to hold the entire organization responsible. Based on what Hank McCoy told me, this attack was orchestrated by one man. Most everyone else in White Cell had no idea he was doing this. The only problem is that same man was White Cell's founder."

"I don't suppose the X-men that so boldly defied my orders were able to arrest the bastard," grumbled President Kelly.

"That's a more complicated story that I'd rather not get into," said the General, "All we know is that both him and his army are gone. White Cell is a pretty big organization and most of their operations have been frozen. Our phones are already ringing off the hook with high-ranking officials claiming they didn't know anything about this."

"Is there any way to prove otherwise?"

"I doubt it. In fact, they're probably telling the truth. That's why it may be a good idea to put White Cell to work for us. Since their fingerprints are on this, it looks like they'll agree to use their resources to aid decimated military forces all over the world. It's not going to come close to filling the void, but it's better than nothing."

"That won't stop people from demonizing this company as the new Enron. I can already hear the protests about using private armies that employ mutants breaking out all over the world," mused President Kelly.

"I bet even those people would agree that simply disbanding the whole thing would be a bad idea. It would put a lot of disgruntled soldiers and mutants on the streets with no job and too many reasons to hold a grudge."

"That's a creative way of saying we're screwed no matter what we do."

"Not entirely," argued General Grimshaw, "We can use the Justice Department to try White Cell's top brass for negligence. We can break them up, reorganize them, and give the impression that _some_ form of justice has been delivered."

"After what we've lost, it wouldn't be enough," said the President.

"I never said it would. I never even said it was our greatest problem. This whole operation exposed serious shortcomings in the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. The X-men had to go behind our backs to stop this. By the letter of the law we should put them on trial too."

"Can I assume you advised against that?" muttered President Kelly.

"I know you don't really care for Charles Xavier, but he's still our strongest ally. It would reflect horribly on you and the initiative if you tried him. I don't even want to begin to speculate how this would tie our hands at a time when we need all the allies we can get."

President Kelly began pacing as he tried to wrap his head around all the political implications. It was a painful irony since politics was part of what started this mess. While he had never been particularly fond of the X-men, he had become dependant on their roles in the government. At a time like this, he had to limit how many problems he had on his plate.

"I'll just silently pardon them…provided, of course, that Xavier doesn't rub this in my face," grumbled President Kelly.

"That's not his style. Although he will voice plenty of concerns," said General Grimshaw, "This whole incident could undermine the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. We'll need to do a lot of damage control just to keep the world as we know it intact."

"I know we are, General. I just don't want damage control to become our primary activity with this initiative," said President Kelly, "I'll have to meet with Xavier, work out some plans, and hopefully find some way of putting this behind us."

"Putting the past behind us is the easy part, sir. We should be more concerned about what this means for the bigger picture," the General went on.

"We're a nation with a decimated military, General. We're only equipped to fight the small battles at this point."

"But the larger battle is always nearby," Grimshaw reminded him, "Which brings me to my next point."

But before he could continue, the President turned around and waved him down. He was a beleaguered leader in the midst of a global crisis. There was only so much bad news he could take.

"That's okay, General. I've heard enough," said the President strongly.

"But sir, I thought you wanted me to tell you what to expect."

"I said I've heard enough! The big picture in my mind is simple. We screwed ourselves when we didn't have to. We have to unscrew ourselves by holding our noses and feeding the necessary bullshit to the rest of the world. It's the only way we'll save the Mutant Monitoring Initiative."

"And if it can't be saved in it's current form?" questioned the General.

"Then we can officially send the human/mutant conflict back to square fucking one, which I would like to avoid at all costs. Understood?"

Grimshaw had to hold himself back. There was a lot wrong with the President's mindset, but he wasn't open to criticism at the moment. The President was overwhelmed. He had every right to be and there were many world leaders out there that probably felt the same way. No matter how pressing the bigger picture may be, he was the President of the United States. He was only equipped to fight so many battles.

"I understand, sir," said Grimshaw stoically.

"Then we're done, General," said President Kelly as he turned back to his Secret Service agents, "I'm going to survey the rest of the building. I expect you and your people to help me pick up the pieces."

"We will, sir," said the General.

"Does that mean you'll stick to the battles I assign? Because I need to know I can still trust you."

"You can, sir. That's one issue you need not concern yourself with."

President Kelly took some comfort in those words. He took a moment to catch his breath before following the Secret Service out of the decimated area. General Grimshaw and Captain Freeman remained behind, offering their Commander-in-Chief a salute. He simply nodded in response, showing all the signs of a leader that had already charted the path he wanted to take. For the General, that meant no one was left to confront the bigger picture.

"I swear you have the best poker face on the planet, sir," commented Captain Freeman once the President left, "Even in the face of a pissed off president, you never let them call your bluff."

"You make it sound like I'm being dishonest, Captain," said the General, "The man said he didn't want to deal with the weightier issues."

"But you're not going to ignore them, are you? In fact, I'm pretty sure you've already started making arrangements."

General Grimshaw grinned slightly. Captain Freeman may not be the sharpest soldier he ever met, but he had a talent for reading a situation. It's part of what made him a great soldier and an important ally.

"I trust you'll know when to keep your mouth shut on these issues. We do have our own duties and we're obligated to fulfill them," said the General.

"Don't worry, sir. My lips are sealed," assured the Green Beret, "So exactly how much _bluffing_ are we going to have to do here?"

"Not as much as you think," he replied as he led the captain through the rubble, "I've already made a few calls to James and Heather Hudson. They promise to be important allies in the event things go bad. If President Kelly is too dense to formulate a contingency plan, then we will and pray we don't have to use it."

* * *

 **Academy of Tomorrow – Dormitories**

' _You're a complete and utter mess, Julian Keller. What did you do to yourself? You're supposed to be tough. You're supposed to be strong. How could you just break under pressure like that? You're pathetic! No wonder Miss Frost didn't trust you.'_

Julian Keller wasn't used to beating himself up. He had always been X-Factor's fearless fighter. Where others would hesitate, he would dive in ready to fight. This time he didn't even get a chance to fight. He was rendered weak, vulnerable, and completely inept. Even when he regained control, he was too stricken to make a difference. It stripped away that fearlessness that made him such a strong presence at the Academy of Tomorrow.

He returned to the academy quietly with Emma Frost. They had Dr. Nemesis treat him for some lingering muscle aches and cramps. She didn't tell Nemesis what had happened and he didn't ask. That way Emma didn't have to wipe his memory when he was finished. During the treatment, Emma tried consoling him. She even offered to wipe his mind of the memories, but Julian refused. This was something he needed to remember.

Once Emma Frost left, Julian returned to his room. She assured him that she would arrange a cover for why he was missing for the past three days. Everybody would think he was on a recruiting mission for new mutants or something. He was given all the details so that he could back up his story, but that didn't really concern him at the moment. Lying back on his bed, Julian recalled that terrible feeling he felt when he was under Romulus's control.

' _He used me…every part of me. I was completely powerless…a tool for someone else's plot. It's over now, but I still feel so trapped and I don't know why! It makes me so angry I just want to…'_

Julian's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his door. He was so startled that he was prepared to unleash a full blown telekinetic attack. He managed to restrain himself. Taking a deep breath, he got up from his bed and opened the door. He was surprised if not taken aback to see Laura standing in front of him.

"Oh…Laura," he said awkwardly, "I uh…thought you were still with Wolverine."

"I just got back. Frost told me you treated for your wounds and Dr. Nemesis gave you a clean bill of health. I didn't believe that for a second," said Laura.

"What makes you say that?"

"Because if you were okay, you wouldn't have the look in your eyes that you do now," she replied.

"Uh…what look?"

"You know what I'm talking about, Julian. Now are you going to make me beat it out of you or are you going to let me in?"

Julian shifted uncomfortably. Laura saw right through his distress. She probably didn't even need to use those keen senses of hers. He looked so pathetic that anyone could have seen it. So without hesitation, he let Laura in.

As he closed the door behind him, Julian tried to gather himself. In many ways his predicament was tied to this girl. His feelings for her led him into the crossfire with Romulus. Those same feelings took on a different context now. He wasn't quite sure what to make of them.

"So how are you _really_ holding up?" asked Laura, "Don't be afraid to mince words if you have to. I won't blame you."

"There's nothing to mince," grumbled Julian, "It sucks! I feel like shit. For three days I was completely at the mercy of some sicko who thought waging global war was a nice way to spend a weekend. I almost prefer torture because at least that's easy to understand. I just…I can't wrap my head around what I'm feeling now."

"Yeah, that's to be expected," she said in a sympathetic tone.

"I've never felt so… _used_ ," he said in a calmer tone, "Everything about myself just seemed to fade. I felt like just a slab of meat that hadn't been slaughtered yet."

"If it makes you feel better, we made sure Romulus is feeling something far worse right now."

"I want to take comfort in that. I really do. I just…I've never felt this _frustrated_ before. I want to lash out at the whole world. I want to destroy everything that could possibly make me experience that feeling again."

"That's also to be expected," she said as she moved in closer to him, "But even if you could, it wouldn't change a damn thing. Trust me. It took me years to realize that. Spare yourself that kind of anguish."

Laura placed a gentle hand on Julian's shoulder. Usually, he was the one to comfort her when she was experiencing emotions she didn't understand. This was one instance where she understood something that he couldn't. It was more than a profound role reversal. It took all the emotions that had been simmering between them into a new context.

"I'm sorry, Laura. I…I owe you at least a billion apologies," said Julian in a low tone.

"Why would you apologize to me?" she asked in confusion, "The reason I came to check up on you was to say how sorry I was that you got caught up in this. If it wasn't for me, Romulus never would have used you."

"It's not your fault, Laura. You have nothing to apologize for," he told her, "Nothing would have stopped me from going after you because that's how much I care about you."

"I…I figured as such," said Laura, now feeling a bit awkward herself, "I still don't see why that means you should apologize."

"There are so many reasons I don't know where to begin. I guess I could start for saying I'm sorry for being so pig-headed to think I understood what you were going through. I now know that I didn't have the slightest clue."

He paused for a moment, feeling short of breath and overwhelmed. His heart raced under Laura's penetrating gaze, but not for the usual reasons. Between his feelings for her and the fresh memories of what he just endured, everything took on a much clearer, much more painful context.

"What you went through…being a living weapon and having no identity of your own," he said distantly, "I could never hope to wrap my head around that. Not until now anyways. Because now I do understand. I do know what you're going through and I'm sure it's even worse because you're so much stronger than I'll ever be. So I guess if you can accept my apology, we'll be as even as we can hope to be."

There was an unmistakable emotion in his tone. For once, it was an emotion that Laura understood. It was surreal because she never experienced such emotion with anyone besides Logan before. Now this boy with whom she had forged a special bond with had experienced something that so few people understood.

In many ways it made that bond much stronger. This boy now looked at her with an understanding that made all those other emotions that she didn't understand much stronger. In the midst of these emotions, Laura found herself drawn closer to Julian. As she got closer, instincts took over. Guided by those instincts, they met in a soft kiss.

It didn't catch Julian as off guard as it should have. Laura had always been one to let her actions speak louder than words. This simple gesture said more than any words ever could have. It triggered within them a new wave of emotions. This time they were the right emotions.

"Laura…is that your way of accepting my apology?" said Julian, now with a slight grin.

"It can if you want it to be," said Laura, grinning as well.

"Works for me," he said with a simple shrug, "Sorry you had to hear me vent like that."

"That's okay, Julian. For once, we don't have to be confused. I know what you're going through. And now you have a small idea of what I went through. I honestly can't say that those sick feelings you have will ever go away. But Logan has taught me that we can make those old feelings better by adding new feelings on top of them. Maybe now that we've been through all this, we can experience those new feelings together."

"New feelings…yeah, I think that would help."

Following his own instincts, Julian kissed Laura again. This time the feeling was more direct. These instincts and emotions led them both to Julian's bed. Clothes were shed along the way. In a heated mesh of new feelings, Julian and Laura made love.

The experience with Romulus had been traumatic in a great many ways, yet in the end it connected them. That connection promised to be a new source of strength as they moved forward through a world decimated with a new source of uncertainty.

* * *

 **Xavier Institute – Infirmary**

The attacks by White Cell left so many reeling. It was a battle that could've ended much worse than it did, but still it happened and there was no avoiding the scars. Few had done more to avoid those scars than Jean Grey.

She had been one of the vocal few who sought to confront this threat when others tried to avoid it. That determination put her at odds with her own team. While she endured her share of injuries, in the end she was vindicated.

Shortly after returning to the institute, she went to the infirmary for treatment. Along the way Hank gave her a sedative so she could relax. When she arrived, she met up with Betsy and Piotr, who had also sustained injuries during the attacks. They were also out cold, resting after enduring such a devastating conflict. They were lucky in many ways. They didn't have to fight the source of these attacks. In her blind determination, she went to extremes that she normally tried to avoid.

"Hnn…next time I'll leave the crazy risks to someone else," groaned a tired and sore Jean Grey, "I am _not_ good at them."

"You're better at them then you give yourself credit for," came a voice.

Jean Grey emerged from her unconscious daze with a mix of blurred memories. She recalled the attack on White Cell. She recalled going into the main building in seek of Cyclops and X-Force. She even recalled her nasty encounter with a man calling himself Daken. It was after that encounter where everything got blurry. Now in a clear state of mind, she arose to see Charles Xavier sitting next to her bed looking very conflicted.

"Professor? Ugh, how long was I out?" she asked as she rubbed her sore head.

"Long enough to miss the worst of it," said Xavier solemnly, "Hank and Sage have filled me in on the details. I know now what you've done and how far you went to stop this attack."

"Does that mean I'm in trouble?" asked Jean warily, "I know you were kind of coy about it, but I still defied the Mutant Monitoring Initiative."

"Don't worry about that, Jean. If anyone should be concerned about the initiative, it's me. You and X-Force exposed a glaring weakness…one that cannot go overlooked moving forward."

"Me _and_ X-Force?" said Jean, still rubbing her head.

More memories came rushing back to her. She recalled getting roughed up by Daken in the course of the attack. Then she remembered being in some lab with Cyclops and the rest of X-Force. The rest of the details were sketchy, but she distinctly remembered being in Cyclops's arms again. Then at some point she woke up with Fantomex, Deadpool, and the others.

"Scott…do you know if they're okay?" asked Jean warily.

"I've been assured that they left the scene intact," said Xavier, "As you can see, we weren't as lucky. We faced the brunt end of this assault and had those mysterious attackers not disappeared, we would have incurred far greater losses."

Jean looked to her right to see Betsy and Piotr lying in beds as well. They were resting comfortably, but looked pretty beat up. It was nothing they couldn't heal from. That didn't mean there wouldn't be scars of a different kind.

"Guess that means I can skip saying I told you so," she sighed, "I never imagined it being _this_ bad. Guess we all underestimated White Cell."

"Indeed we did," Xavier conceded, "Nobody could have known that they were preparing an attack on this level. Yet still, you did something that I didn't have the strength to do. You defied the Mutant Monitoring Initiative to do what was right."

"It sure didn't feel like it was right," said Jean, "I'm not usually the one that takes such a _militant_ stance. Seeing as how I ended up here, it's pretty clear that I was in over my head."

"That didn't prevent you from making your point painfully apparent."

"I wasn't trying to make a point, Professor. I just knew that doing nothing was going to come back to bite us. And if we didn't do something, X-Force would and possibly get themselves killed in the process."

"Intentionally or not, you still proved something important…something that we cannot avoid any longer."

The Professor rose up out of his chair and turned away. He turned towards Betsy and Piotr, who looked as though they would sleep through the night. Their injuries and the damage he witnessed at the Pentagon left him with many difficult issues to contemplate. His vision for the Mutant Monitoring Initiative seemed tainted now. Somewhere within the logistics, the world they sought to protect was left more vulnerable.

"We failed today, Jean. And I'm not just talking about the damage we sustained. We failed to maintain our commitment we made as X-men," mused the Professor, "The Mutant Monitoring Initiative was supposed to strengthen that commitment. With this attack, it's been completely undermined."

"It could have been much worse, Professor. From what I can recall while getting my butt kicked, I can definitely attest to _that_ ," said Jean.

"It also could have been much better," retorted Xavier, "I've been contemplating how this would have happened if it took place before the initiative. In nearly every scenario, the outcome was better. I wouldn't have left you on your own to track that signal that Sage uncovered. We would have been able to attack White Cell in a more coordinated manner. There would have been less injuries and perhaps less damage overall."

"We can't know that for sure," she argued.

"But we can be certain that the very initiative we hoped would help us only complicated this conflict. In that respect, I'm left wondering if this is an anomaly or a sign."

"I'd say we all learned plenty of lessons. Struggle is only meaningful if we learn from it. You taught us that."

"I try to live by all those lessons," sighed Xavier, "Then, the harsher realities of this world remind me that negotiating reforms here in Washington are a painfully slow process."

"But they're worth doing," said Jean, "I may be a little jaded after resorting to open defiance, but that doesn't mean I'm ready to give up on the Mutant Monitoring Initiative."

"I'm not giving up on it either, Jean," he assured her, "I'm just worried that whatever reforms we make, it may not come in time for the next great threat."

It was a daunting thought, having to go to such lengths just to be the heroes that the X-men were committed to being. Global defenses had already been weakened. The public backlash was sure to be vocal. This was bigger than the human/mutant conflict. This was about preserving the order that was vital to everyone's survival.

"You should rest, Jean. You've more than earned it," said Professor Xavier as he prepared to make his leave.

"What's going to happen now, Professor? How are we going to fix all these problems you've just described?" asked Jean.

Professor Xavier stopped near the door where he hid a solemn expression from his student. His X-men still relied on him along with so many others. It led him to make a very painful admission.

"I don't know, Jean. I honestly don't know."

* * *

 **Nova Roma – X-Force Base**

" _INSOLENT CHILD! YOU WILL NOT ESCAPE YOUR PURPOSE!"_

There were many ominous revelations from the past few days that suck with Logan. They all seemed to stem from these angry words from Romulus. His entire life was built around a purpose that was imposed by others. He was nothing but a tool, a means to an end as dictated by his father.

It was bad enough having been a living weapon and a monster on Team X. Finding out that there was a connecting link between all this madness made it worse. At the same time, it added a new context to it. It also gave him reasons for hope moving forward.

"You're wrong, old man…dead wrong," he mused, "If I end up living as long as you, I'll spend every waking hour proving it."

The former living weapon felt a strange sense of comfort as he said those words into the clear Nova Roman night sky. Sitting on the roof of the base with a bottle of hard liquor in hand, he finally allowed himself to unwind. The rest of the team had turned in, tired and wounded from their ordeal. They sent Warren to a hospital back in the United States where he could get treatment. Emma stuck around Boston to make sure things with her Academy still ran smoothly. Everyone else was just working on how to move forward.

"Up on a roof drinking at an hour like this," came a familiar voice from behind, "For anyone else, it would be a bad sign. For you, it's as comforting a sight as I've ever seen."

Logan turned around and grinned to see Mystique standing in the doorway.

"Heya darlin'," greeted Logan, "You done tucking Kurt in?"

"We had a good long talk. He fell asleep halfway into it," she sighed as she walked over and sat down next to him, "I figure if he's too tired so I might as well try my luck with you."

"So you finally wanna talk serious? About Romulus? About us?" he asked her.

"Pass me that bottle of Jack and I just might."

Logan chuckled lightly and did as she requested. The bottle was already half-empty and he had another one beside him waiting. He watched as the shape shifter took a good chug from the bottle, as if to prepare herself for this conversation.

They hadn't been avoiding each other since this affair began. However, they still avoided certain topics. Now seemed like as good a time as any to confront them.

"I put a lot of time and energy into uncovering the truth," said Mystique distantly, "I completely changed my priorities because I couldn't move forward unless I filled in every gap from my past. I _guess_ I've succeeded. I remember my life as Rose. I remember my life as Raven Darkholme. I even remember the time in between where I became who I am now under Romulus's training."

"Let me guess…it still doesn't feel _complete_ , does it?" said Logan.

"Not in the slightest, but I don't think that's a bad thing," said the shape-shifter, "For so long I was a bitter, vindictive woman who was only capable of making the wrong decisions for the right reasons."

"You still sound bitter," Logan pointed out.

"What can I say? I'm a bitter person by nature, but it helps to have fewer reasons," she shrugged, "Not having an identity to call my own made it too easy to be angry at the rest of the world. I was tired of being so angry so I sought the truth instead. Now even that's not enough. So I guess I'm back to where I started."

"That really a bad thing? Sometimes it helps to start over again with a clearer mind."

"In this case I can safely say I'm _much_ better equipped than before. I still have missions. I still have a promise to keep to Kurt's father. I have two children that I've hurt in too many ways. I also have a rape child out there that will surely be a problem at some point."

"That's a _long_ list of problems, Misty. You sure you can handle them all on your own?"

"Misty? What kind of a pet name is that?' chuckled Mystique as she took another gulp of the Jack Daniels.

"Well you ain't comfortable with me calling you Rose. You don't seem to care for Raven either. Figure I gotta call you something in between," shrugged Logan, "What? You don't like it?"

"Actually, I think it works," she said with a slight smile.

Logan smiled back as he retrieved the extra bottle of Jack Daniels he had next to him. As he opened it, Mystique moved in a little closer to him. Their smiles gave way to a certain awkwardness that had been lingering between them since they learned of their passionate history together.

The bond they formed in the past could not be easily forgotten. It was a bond that neither one of them wished to forget. The only issue was what to do with it at this point.

"What about you, Logan? Or would you prefer I call you James?" she asked him.

"Doesn't matter what you call me. I'd still be as fucked up as any guy who found out he has an asshole father who imparted those traits to my asshole son."

"Yet you're not as enraged as I expected," the shape shifter pointed out.

"Oh I'm plenty pissed. Don't doubt _that_ for a second. It's bad enough I was Weapon X's guinea pig. Finding out that Romulus had pulled the strings just pours acid into the wound. The man fucked with my life from the moment I was born. Hell, I still have gaps in my memory that he's probably responsible for."

"Are you going to try and uncover those gaps?"

"I could, but I already spend enough time dwelling on the past. I'm okay with making sure that Romulus's bullshit never amounts to anything. Destroying the man's vision destroyed the worst part of his influence. It's part of what I learned from being an X-man…moving forward while not forgetting the past."

"Guess that's a lesson that still hasn't sunk in for me," said Mystique as she swirled her bottle of liquor.

"I'm glad it did for me because it keeps me looking forward without being more fucked up than I need to be. I still got a job to do with X-Force. I got a job to do with Laura. And if you're interested, I got a job to do with you…and that ain't a dirty joke."

A brief silence fell over them as old emotions mixed with old memories. Mystique turned to face him, her eyes not laced with deception of any kind. Logan reached for her hand and grasped it within his. This time she wasn't avoiding this moment and neither was he.

"I'll tell you the same thing I told you back when we were in Team X. I ain't good with words, but I still got a lot to say," he told her, "We can't avoid the past. We can't let it dictate our future either. We can never go back to the way things were. But if you want, we can try to build something new…something that'll do us both some good."

"Are you referring to a traditional relationship or something more twisted?" asked Mystique, "Because given our respective lives, I foresee many unreasonable complications."

"It doesn't have to be traditional and it doesn't have to be twisted. It just has to be real," he told her, "You got your issues. I got mine. There's a lot we can handle on our own. But I think it would be better for both of us if we handled them _together_."

Mystique diverted her gaze for a moment. The notion of her being this close to anyone triggered all sorts of powerful emotions. Then as she turned back to face him, she shifted her form. Now she was Rose again, the only other identity that felt like it belonged to her. Her appearance brought another smile to Logan's face.

"Together…I think that could be good for us," she mused.

"It could be very good," said Logan, sneaking in a wry undertone, "We all need some way of keeping ourselves from going crazy. Sometimes the best way is to have _someone_."

"If you think you can handle me, you're more than welcome to try, Wolverine," said the shape-shifter coyly.

"Help me finish this bottle of Jack and I'll do a lot more than try, darlin'!"

The emotions settled in as they raised their bottles of liquor and moved in closer to one another. Together they took another round of hard gulps. Then under the Nova Roman night sky, the past and the present collided as Mystique and Logan met in a deep kiss.

These new feelings were many years in the making. Now as the influence of Romulus and the destruction he wrought settled in, they could use those feelings to build a more promising future.

* * *

 **Up next: Trial By Fire**


	18. Issue 166: Trial By Fire

**Issue #166  
Trial By Fire**

* * *

 _Professor Charles Xavier and his X-men protect a world that hates and fears them. Every so often, though, the fear of mutants is supplanted by fears of another kind. Mutants have become mainstream through Charles Xavier's controversial Mutant Monitoring Initiative that allowed his X-men to work with the authorities on mutant issues, as well as other major concerns. Now one of those concerns has made the world very vulnerable._

 _It began with the arrest of Sebastian Shaw and ended with a global attack by the private army known as White Cell. Led by Wolverine's powerful and estranged father, Romulus, an army of Weapon X clones attacked every major armed force on the planet._

 _Few were spared. Governments, militias, and criminal organizations were all hit hard. The very order that humans and mutants alike rely on has been undermined. Now the X-men must take on new roles and help reestablish some semblance of peace._

 _At the same time, the merits of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative have come into question. The chaos that ensued from White Cell was a direct result of the X-men not being able to do what was necessary. This hasn't just struck the X-men either. X-Force has been reeling as well. The divide that has left the X-men so overwhelmed is now taking a back seat to a new range of concerns._

* * *

 **Downtown Los Angeles**

"Hello 50-inch OX-LED TV!" proclaimed a shop-lifter as he wheeled a shopping cart out of a major department store.

"It's like Christmas minus the decorations and I'm loving it!" said another who followed close behind with a cart of computers.

The spirits of the two small-time shoplifters were high. Their sentiment reflected the general optimism of all ambitious criminals in recent weeks.

Ever since the White Cell attacks, the authorities were swamped. The military didn't have the hardware they needed to fight. The police didn't have the hardware they needed to uphold the law. It was a perfect confluence of circumstances. It led to numerous riots and uprisings in certain areas. Los Angels was just one where the momentary weakness of the LAPD allowed gang riots to break out in droves.

For some, gang affiliation was overrated. They were content to let the gangs occupy the police. The sun was setting over the city and the riots were sure to get worse as night fell so those in search of a quick score tried to be proactive. The two shoplifters had already commandeered a van with a friend, who waited in the parking lot. They went to work loading it up and prepared to make their escape.

"Hurry it up, you two! We don't have much time and you wasted plenty by going for the heavy stuff," said the driver of the van.

"Cool your jets, man. We've got plenty of time," boasted the shoplifter with the 50-inch TV, "The cops are swarmed and armed only with nightsticks and pepper spray. They don't have time for part-timers like us."

"It's not the cops I'm worried about. It's these damn gang riots," said the driver, "I've been listening to the radio. Sounds like they're spreading towards this area."

"So what? Let them spread!" said the other shoplifter, "The more they occupy the police, the more _shopping_ we can do."

"We shop too much and we'll end up being raided as well," warned the driver, "Every major city with a gang problem is facing riots and if we don't secure this shit, we'll end up as fodder."

"You worry too much, bro. I've got it all figured out!" scoffed the shoplifter as he tried to force the TV into the back of the van, "Once we hit a few more stores, we'll high-tail it to my uncle's place and lock this shit down. He's still got a few guns, some heavy locks, and boxes of dried pasta to keep us going for months. It's perfect! Ain't nobody that can stop us neither!"

He almost had the TV loaded into the van. Then some unseen force shoved the TV right back at him. It knocked him flat on his back for a moment. While stunned, he looked up and saw a couple of figures hovering over him.

"There's just one problem with that plan of yours, sugah," said a hovering Rogue in an intimidating tone.

"Namely _us_ ," said Jean Grey, who had been the source of the unseen force.

"Aw hell no! X-men?" exclaimed the other shoplifter.

"To hell with the merchandise! I'm outta here!" exclaimed the driver.

In a panic, the driver stomped on the accelerator of the van. The other shoplifter didn't have time to jump back inside. Half the stuff he was loading fell out and he tried running after the van in a vain attempt to catch up.

"Wait up, damn it! Don't leave me hanging!" the shoplifter exclaimed.

"Screw you! I didn't sign up for this!" exclaimed the driver, "I'll see you back at the…"

The driver was unexpectedly silenced. He hadn't driven more than a hundred feet before he ran right into an immovable obstacle that literally walked out right in front of him. That obstacle was Colossus in his metal form. Without moving a muscle, he let his invulnerable body render the van undriveable by leaving a thick indent right in the front. It caused the air bags to deploy while forcing some much-needed humility on the driver.

"Umf!" groaned the driver, his voice muffled by the air bag.

"You should keep your eye on the road, comrade," said Piotr flatly, "Now _you're_ on your own as well."

"Fuck…this day just keeps getting worse," he groaned.

"You do not know the half of it," grumbled the Russian.

Now dazed with a significant bruise on his forehead, the driver stumbled out and started limping away. He met up with the other shoplifter, who gave him a shove for his cowardice. However, they saved their bitterness for another time. For now, they were content to get away from the X-men.

Even though they weren't moving very fast, the X-men didn't pursue them. Jean, Rogue, and Piotr gathered near the now crippled van to assess the situation. It was a pretty basic scenario that had played out in many other areas all over the country.

"Ain't you gonna go after them, Pete?" asked Rogue.

"Nyet. I think we made our point," said Piotr as he watched them run, "They're empty-handed, wounded, and anxious. That is all the justice we can deliver right now."

"Are you just saying that because you know the LAPD won't bother processing petty shoplifters?" asked Jean.

"They asked us to assist them. We need not distract ourselves more than we already are," said the Russian.

"That doesn't mean we should negate the little things," said Jean.

While Piotr and Rogue caught their breath, Jean turned her attention back to the shoplifter she knocked on his back earlier. She used her telekinesis to levitate him and shove him into the back of his now crippled van. Once inside, she closed the doors and locked them so that the police wouldn't have trouble arresting him.

"What the hell are you doing you crazy bitch?" exclaimed the shoplifter.

"Relax, I cracked the windows," said Jean, rolling her eyes, "The cops should follow the gang riots here within an hour. If you rat out your buddies, I'm sure they'll go easy on you."

"Fuck you!" was all he said in response.

"Better have them teach you some manners in the process," said Rogue, rolling her eyes.

The shoplifter's voice was muffled by the van. Jean also ripped the tires off the to ensure that he would remain in place. They were elaborate lengths for a simple shoplifter, especially when they had much bigger troubles approaching with the gang riots. The team was still drained from the White Cell debacle.

"You're really pushing it for someone who spent a couple of days in the infirmary, Jean," commented Rogue, "Didn't Beast tell ya to get some rest before you jump back into fire?"

"Should we _really_ have this conversation now?" questioned Jean as she did a telepathic scan, "I can sense the gang riots spreading quicker. They're starting to barricade themselves in department stores and the police aren't equipped to weed them out."

"Forget about gang wars for a second. You're starting to sound too much like the old you that just keeps busy for the sake of being busy," she said strongly, "Did crossing paths with X-Force open some old wounds?"

"This has nothing to do with old wounds and everything to do with the wounds left by White Cell," said Jean strongly, "The Professor told me in plain words. The Mutant Monitoring Initiative is in trouble. We can't stand idly and let it fail."

"I don't think healing from injuries counts as standing idly," argued Piotr, "I'm still quite sore from the attacks. I was barely able to lift 50 tons this morning."

"I'm not trying to sound _fatalistic_ here, guys. I'm just saying we should be more proactive…even when we're not supposed to," argued Jean, "We proved with White Cell that it can go a long way."

"Far as Ah'm concerned, we just proved how dang much we've complicated our jobs," quipped Rogue.

"I'm not going to argue against that. Hell, I agree with you on more levels than I care to admit," Jean retorted, "My sole concern here is damage control. It's gotten to a point where it doesn't matter how we feel about the initiative. If it fails, we'll all be sore in ways we can't heal from. I think even X-Force understands that now."

"Why do you say that? Did Scott project a few too many thoughts when you were wounded?" questioned Rogue.

"No, I just sensed there's plenty of doubt to go around."

She sounded distressingly convincing. The battle against White Cell seemed to embolden Jean in ways that reverberated throughout the team. Having been vindicated by her willingness to defy the initiative she vowed to defend, she was much more assertive.

Rogue and Piotr exchanged glances, not sure what to make of it. They were all struggling to adapt to all the damage they had incurred by White Cell. It was still debatable how much of that damage was fixable.

"We better get moving," said Jean, her assertive tone covering many emotions, "The Professor needs us to create some positive news. It'll help him push on those reforms he told us about."

"Create good news out a gang war? Even when healthy, my strength has limits," said Piotr.

"Ah hope we ain't just relying on reforms to fix all the problems the led to this mess," said Rogue as she cracked her knuckles in anticipation.

"You and me both, Rogue," sighed Jean, "We have to do our part. Hell, that's all we can do. It's up to the Professor to make progress with the paperwork."

"Somehow, I sense he's as frustrated as we're about to be," said Piotr.

As the three X-men turned towards adjacent streets, they could see numerous pillars of smoke rising from the downtown area. The gang riots were doing more damage at a time when damage control was their primary objective. It seemed more political than heroic, but these were the kinds of challenges they had to overcome. Simply being heroes wasn't enough whenever politics were involved.

* * *

 **United Nations Building – VIP Offices**

"Mr. President, please! We still have much to discuss and time remains a factor," urged a desperate Charles Xavier as he tried to catch up with President Kelly.

"I'm a busy man, Charles. We've got a global security crisis on our hands and you can't expect me to make meeting with you my top priority," said President Kelly, who was going over CIA reports.

"And you can't expect me to formulate a long list of necessary reforms within an _hour_ ," retorted Xavier.

"Why not? I thought you were the most powerful mind in the world," said the President dryly.

"The power of my mind has nothing to do with such _unreasonable_ logistics. You make it sound as though fixing what led to this global security crisis doesn't matter."

President Kelly stopped walking, allowing his frustration to surface. He was already late for a conference with several important ambassadors from the Middle East and Asia. Charles Xavier wasn't making his job easier by pestering him. In fact, he hadn't stopped pestering him since the dust settled from the White Cell attack.

Professor Xavier tried to ignore the burning frustration that the President was projecting with his mind. He managed to catch up with him, but that was difficult due to the thick packets of paper he was carrying. He only touched on a fraction of what he hoped to address during their meeting. With many lingering issues, he was intent on confronting the damage done to the Mutant Monitoring Initiative.

"I'm don't mean to annoy you, Mr. President," said Xavier as he caught his breath, "I'm just asking for some added consideration."

"When you put it like that, it sounds an awful lot like annoyance," retorted President Kelly.

"I apologize if that's how it comes across, but I think we'll make both our lives easier if we take care of this now," he said as he sifted through some of the thick packets, "We can both agree that our inaction played a significant role in allowing White Cell's attack."

"Only to a point, Professor," the President replied with folded arms, "Our inaction was only one of _many_ contributing factors."

"But it's a factor we're capable of _correcting_ ," Xavier noted, "I've put together a number of reforms to prevent this from happening again. There is plenty of disagreement over the language, but the general theme is the same. The X-men must be able to work more independently. This way they can address threats like White Cell without going through so many layers of bureaucracy."

"If that's the general theme, it isn't very original. Do you have any idea how many other agencies make that same request? You don't think the Department of Energy would _love_ being able to craft their own energy policies without federal approval?"

"I'm sure every agency would enjoy being a power unto themselves, but they weren't directly involved in this crisis."

"I'm sure they made that same argument after the oils shocks in the late 70s or the BP spill in the Gulf. Like everyone else, they had to adapt."

"Did they? Or did the people involved just stop trying?" questioned Xavier.

"I can't speak for them, but I can speak for the office that you decided to partner with," said the President apprehensively, "There will be reform. There's always reform after a mess like this."

"I understand that, Mr. President. But I'm concerned it won't be enough to stop the next crisis."

"You're getting ahead of yourself Xavier…and _greedy_ for that matter," said the President more forcefully, "There's a lot riding on our shoulders and to be honest, I'm not comfortable trusting you to handle it. Unfortunately, neither of us has a choice."

"Choice isn't the issue here. It's about making sure no one hinders the other from doing the right thing." said the Professor, maintaining an urgent tone.

"We're not in the business of doing the right thing, Xavier. We're in the businesses of managing the impossible so normal folk don't have to. If you can convince every legislative body and federal judge to go along with all these reforms, go right ahead. I'll be happy to implement them at that point. If not, take some time to understand that the reasons for these procedures. Remember, _you're_ the one who signed up for this so I expect you to honor those procedures. Understood?"

Professor Xavier had much more he wanted to say, but the President of the United States made his position clear. He was not in a position to make major changes to the initiative at the moment. His primary concerns were security. He even projected some hostile thoughts to further dissuade Xavier from making further arguments. They were enough to silence any psychic from probing further.

Having made his point, President Kelly adjusted his suit and calmed down. He then turned to his Secret Service agents, who were prepared to escort him to his next meeting. They even shot Xavier a stern glance, warning him not to run after them.

"I'll assume you heard my thoughts and we're back on the same page," said the President, "Whatever reforms you have, send them through the proper channels. In the meantime, I have a lot of anxious world leaders to reassure."

"Can I also assume they'll be as _understanding_ if these reforms are passed too late to make a difference?" questioned Xavier.

"They have a myriad of other concerns at the moment. This may be hard to believe for a mind like yours, but there are other conflicts aside those involving mutants."

President Kelly rushed into the VIP elevator. He left Xavier behind holding his thick stack of papers, still clearly frustrated by having his concerns tossed aside. The President of the United States didn't have the luxury of focusing on reform. The current state of the world demanded action and for once the X-men were not a priority.

' _You're putting us in grave danger, Mr. President. Yet somehow you make me feel selfish for trying to fix what is clearly broken. What am I supposed to tell my X-men? If they have to keep breaking the law to do their job, then I fear for more than just their well-being.'_

* * *

 **Worthington Medical Research Center**

Betsy Braddock was reeling in so many ways. She recently spent two days in the infirmary, recovering from injuries she sustained during the White Cell attack. Those wounds had been painful enough, but in between the lingering soreness she was told by Hank that Warren had been injured.

He didn't have details. He just told her that he was involved in the attack against White Cell and he sustained significant injuries, so much so that he had to return to one of his company's special research clinics. As soon as Betsy was sufficiently healed, she took the first flight out of DC to visit him.

It made for a bittersweet reunion. They hadn't spoken much since the Mutant Monitoring Initiative was implemented. This initiative drove them apart just when it seems they were getting serious. His rumored affiliation with X-Force ensured they might never patch things up. Recent events rendered those disagreements more pertinent. They also reminded Betsy that she still had strong feelings for the man.

' _Warren Worthington III, you handsome moron. Why do you do this to me? I get that it wasn't your fault this time. What I don't get is why make me feel this way every time you get yourself hurt. Do I have some kind of pathological need to feel these emotions when you're in pain? Guess that would make me a moron as well.'_

Betsy sank into her chair, still fighting off lingering soreness as she watched over Warren's unmoving form. She had been to this clinic before and it was as uninviting as she remembered.

It was one of a handful of facilities that Warren used for treatment after he made himself so sick from the botched Legacy Virus cure. The infirmary was customized to accommodate his physiology. His bed was extra wide with a pair of special harnesses for his techno-organic wings. Except this time, it wasn't his wings that were the problem. It was pretty much everything else in between.

' _Four broken ribs, a bruised kidney, internal bleeding, a cracked skull, a partially torn pectoral muscle, a fractured fibula, and a broken forearm…that's just part of what I gathered from your doctor. For all I know, it's much worse. You've done a lot of crazy shit to yourself since the Legacy Virus, Warren. I don't know how your body can sustain it. Whatever you're doing in X-Force, you're clearly doing it wrong. Is it because you're genuinely determined? Or do you just care that little about surviving?'_

Her concern for Warren soon turned to anger. This man seemed determined to put undue strain on anyone who cared about him. It almost didn't seem worth it at times, but Betsy couldn't tear herself away.

Under the emotional strain, Betsy rose up from her seat. She ignored the stabbing soreness in her side and stood over the unconscious man in front of her. It wasn't clear how unconscious he was. He had various machines and IVs going into him. They weren't the kind she saw in a normal hospital. For all she knew, he was pumping himself with more techno-organic sludge. Seeing as how that was a genuine possibility, Betsy couldn't help but grow more frustrated.

"I probably shouldn't be here right now," she told him, "I would rather not recount how many minds I had to telepathically _nudge_ in order to get inside this place. I took it from all your security that you didn't want anybody checking up on you. Not even the X-men. You should know by now that they'll find out you're hurting. You should also know that I don't just brush off news that involves you being wounded."

There was no response from his unmoving form. Betsy tried to contain some of her frustration and projected a more honest sincerity to this man that meant so much to her.

"If I hadn't heard you were in this bad a shape, I would still be playing the role of Miss Uptight Daughter of an Interpol Officer. I'm supposed to be the one that always sides with the law, even when it fails us. But seeing you like this makes it much harder. Especially after Beast told me the role X-Force played in stopping White Cell. I normally don't question the law if I feel it makes sense, but even in this case you're making me think things and feel things that I cannot keep ignore."

Her voice became strained as she reached for his face and brushed aside his messy blond hair. He still had the kind of presence that evoked such powerful emotions within her. She struggled to contain those motions as she continued to speak.

"You make it very hard for those who care about you, Warren. I'm trying to be mad enough that I can cast aside my feelings. I know now that won't happen. You mean something to me, Warren. I know I mean something to you as well. You're so willing to put yourself in danger. Is it so much to ask for you to be more careful with it so I don't have to endure this?"

It sounded like such a reasonable request. Yet even though he lay unconscious, Betsy sensed that Warren wouldn't heed it. He put himself through too much to stop at this point. As hard as it was to stop caring about him, Warren was still a stubborn man. It meant Betsy was probably doomed to more frustration.

Knowing she wouldn't get an answer, Betsy fell silent. She swallowed the bitterness and animosity that emerged out of her frustration. She didn't allow herself to think about the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, White Cell, or X-Force. She continued caressing Warren's wounded face, allowing herself to process all the emotions she was feeling.

As she did this, she noticed something odd on Warren's forehead. Besides the bruise along the left side of his face, she noticed that the skin around the veins in his head was discolored. It looked like an infection of sorts, but one that had nothing to do with his injuries.

"What in the bloody…" she began.

"I wouldn't touch it if I were you," came a voice from behind her.

Betsy turned around and instinctively formed a psionic blade. She saw that the voice belonged to Warren's father, who looked just as frustrated as her albeit for a different set of reasons.

"Mr. Worthington…I didn't know you were lurking," said Betsy in an apprehensive tone, "Were you guarding your mind just so you could eavesdrop?"

"I didn't want to intrude. I figure if Warren could hear anybody in his current state, it would be best if he heard from you," said Warren Jr.

"Now I feel used. I also don't feel inclined to let you take a step closer," said Betsy, holding her psionic blade up in a threatening manner.

"You'll have to if you care about my son as much as you claim. I know you have little reason to trust me, but that discoloration you saw is a symptom of something that even my son doesn't understand. It needs to be managed or his life will be in even greater danger."

Betsy remained suspicious. Warren's father had a history of making his son's life difficult. She sensed him lower his mental shields for a moment so that she could verify that he was sincere. It was enough for her to put away her psionic blade, but it didn't make her any less suspicious.

"Thank you, Miss Braddock," said Warren Jr. as approached his son's bedside.

"Don't thank me. Explain to me what you're doing and why you're doing it," said Betsy strongly.

"I'm afraid I don't have clear answers to those questions," said Warren Jr. as he activated one of the IVs, "Right now, I'm injecting him with a stabilizing inhibitor that will keep the techno-organic material in his blood from expanding."

"Expanding? What do you mean by _expanding_?" questioned Betsy.

"That's the only word I can use to describe it. You weren't here when Warren tested a highly experimental and highly _dangerous_ procedure on himself. He was sick of being so weak and he wanted to keep his wings. I tried to talk him out of it, but I was in no position to tell him otherwise."

"Then he probably wouldn't have listened to me as well," she said bitterly, "Warren is just _that_ reckless."

"Don't I know it," sighed Warren Jr. as he made some adjustments to his son's life-support, "On paper, the procedure was a success. Warren declared it a success and says he hasn't felt any adverse side-effects. He still gets a routine check-up. At times, my people detect symptoms that they just can't make sense of."

"And Warren isn't aware of this, is he?" Betsy surmised,

"I couldn't tell him the full truth if I wanted to. This techno-organic material has too many unknowns. Even if these symptoms are a sign of something terrible, I doubt it would stop my son from doing what he does. He has an innate need to spread his wings and play the part of an angel. I've never been able to stop him so I've given up trying. While I know it may be infuriating at times, you should try to accept it as well. Warren is his own man _and_ his own angel."

Warren Jr. sounded somewhat defeated as he described his son. It wasn't just because his condition had so many unknowns. The physical wounds would heal, but the wounds just beneath the surface were still festering.

The worst part for him as a father was that he had little authority to influence his son. He was going to keep doing what he thought was right, even if it meant taking unreasonable risks. He stopped fighting it long ago and he could tell that Betsy was having a hard time accepting it.

"How much danger is he in? Can you at least explain _that_?" asked Betsy in a calmer tone.

"At this point, I would say it's light to moderate. These injuries he sustained certainly didn't help," said Warren Jr.

"What's the worst-case scenario? Are your people doing anything to prepare for it?"

"Far as we can tell, the techno-organic material that healed his wings is also trying to heal parts of his body that aren't wounded. One of my doctors speculated that the material sees his current mutation as incomplete and it's trying to fill in the gaps."

"How damaging would _that_ be?" she asked anxiously.

"In every test we've run…devastating," he answered, "His body would get off easy. It's his mind that really concerns us. The techno-organic material often takes on a life of its own. If push comes to shove, it may not tolerate having to share with another mind."

Betsy felt a slight chill course down her spine. As a telepath in the body of another woman, she knew all too well the struggles of having two conflicting personalities clash. With the memory of Fantomex still fresh in her mind, she shuttered to think about what this would do to Warren.

She kept watching anxiously as the new silverish IV fluid trickled through the tubes and into Warren's body. She watched him shift uncomfortably as it entered. The discoloration along his veins disappeared, but it was clearly not a comfortable process.

"Before I leave, mind if I ask you a question, Miss Braddock?" asked Warren Jr.

"Seeing as how you haven't called security on me, I figure it's the least I can do," she muttered.

"Do you love my son? Do you truly love him for who he is and what he is at heart?"

Betsy froze as she contemplated this question. It was the first time someone ever asked her such a question and this was the first time she ever gave it serious thought. She turned back towards Warren's unconscious form and recalled the circumstances that brought them together. Beyond the frustrations she felt for this man, there were unmistakable emotions. From those emotions, she drew her answer.

"I don't know for certain how much I love him, but I'm pretty bloody certain I do," she said with a sigh, "He's an easy man to love, but a difficult man to share it with."

"You wouldn't be the first woman to say that. I believe Candy Southerner expressed that same sentiment on more than one occasion," said Warren Jr. as he offered her a comforting gesture.

"Is that supposed to be comforting?"

"I didn't bring her up to draw comparisons. Candy loved him dearly, but she tried too hard to mold their love into something less frustrating. That was a mistake that hurt them both in the end."

"You're worried I'll hurt him just like Candy, aren't you?" Betsy surmised."

"You come off as much tougher than Candy so those worries are far fewer," said Warren Jr. with a slight smile, "If you don't believe me on anything, believe me when I say this…Warren has a good heart. He may be arrogant at times, but he'll fight tooth and nail to do the right thing. If that's something you can love, then don't try to change it. Take it from a man who watched his wife wither away from cancer. You'll never know how precious it is until it's threatened."

Betsy turned towards Warren Jr. with conflicted emotions. While this man had limited credibility when it came to his son, there was no denying his sincerity. Looking back at his wounded form, she saw a man that was willing to go through this kind of pain in order to be an angel. In her mind that was something worth protecting, even if it was frustrating.

Warren Jr. left his son to rest with Betsy watching over him. She was still technically trespassing, but he chose to overlook it. While he didn't agree with some of the things his son did behind his back, he understood why he did them. He trusted Warren to keep doing the right thing. He was also willing to trust Betsy to protect him should he need it.

' _You may hate me for thinking this, but your father's a good man, Warren. He cares about you enough to worry himself sick over what you do to yourself. He seems to accept that you won't listen to him. But I care about you too and I know you care about me. I hope that if that time comes, you'll listen to me. With the way things are going, neither X-Force nor the X-men will be able to stay out of each other's way.'_

* * *

 **Nova Roma – Venus Bath House**

The mood within X-Force had been mixed since the battle against White Cell. Romulus's attack changed both them and the circumstances surrounding their mission. The debate over the Mutant Monitoring Initiative took a back seat as countries all over the world scrambled to get their armies functioning again.

It created a dangerous mix of chaos that X-Force could do little to resolve. In some ways, that was a good thing because it allowed them to lay low for a while. For some, however, laying low only made things worse.

"Are you ready to call it a night yet, handsome?" asked a scantily dressed Nova Roman waitress.

"Keep the drinks coming, ma'am," said a morose Scott Summers, "I'll either tell you when to stop or pass out, whichever comes first."

"Wow, you sound like you spent a weekend in Hades. You know for a _generous_ tip, I can make you feel better," said the waitress, suggestively leaning over the table as she refilled his drink.

"No thanks. I need to be alone right now."

"Suit yourself," she shrugged, "Not even the wisdom of Athena could help me understand why some men wallow in such sorrow."

Scott ignored the waitress's remarks and went to work on his drink. It was hardly a place to be solemn. Nova Roma's bath houses were among the many Greco-Roman traditions that had been preserved in this secretive city. They were luxurious places where men and women could relax, be pampered, and be served by attractive caretakers. Yet somehow Scott found a way to be miserable.

Since setting up shop on Nova Roma, X-Force often visited the bath houses to unwind. The Venus Bath House was among the best in the city. It was built in the mold of an old Roman temple while having all the modern fixtures. There were large open pool areas, a party lounge, specialized bathing areas, massage dens, hot tubs, and a full bar.

In nearly every area there were attractive male and female workers in revealing bathing suits to serve the patrons. Thanks to Warren's credit cards and their connections with the Nova Roman senate, they had full access. Since everyone was still reeling from their encounter with Romulus, it seemed like an appropriate place to heal.

that was exactly why Logan, Emma, and James dragged him to this place. They refused to let him sulk on his own. Domino was already off on a mission. Nightcrawler was catching up with Shaman and Margali on Amanda's condition. Mystique and Wanda joined him for support. The X-Force leader had no excuses so he reluctantly tagged along. While the others did their part to unwind, he secluded himself in a quiet corner of the bar. Despite an undeniable need to relax, he insisted on denying himself.

"You know that waitress wasn't just play acting," said the crass voice of Emma Frost, "If you did even a _tiny_ bit of flirtation, she would have been all over you."

"I don't flirt, Emma. You of all people know how bad I am at it," muttered Scott as he gulped down his drink.

"Even so, you're an opulent bath house that most people can never hope to afford. You're surrounded by pools, hot tubs, massage dens, and attractive servants," she pointed out, "How can you be so willingly miserable?"

"Because I deserve to be miserable right now," he answered.

"That's bullshit and you know it," Emma scoffed, "Could you at least _pretend_ you're not that pathetic? You're Scott Summers. I expect this immature behavior from a lot of people, but not from you."

Scott didn't answer. He remained fixated on his drink, which was already half empty. Emma scolded him for a few more moments. She had just come from a _very_ relaxing round of pampering in the private bathing area. Wearing only a bath robe, she planned on having a few drinks before she returned for a massage. She didn't expect her sulking ex-lover to be such an issue.

Shaking her head in frustration, Emma sat down next to Scott. She looked out over the opulent bar, watching servants and patrons pass by. Most of the patrons were in bath robes or swim suits. They represented some of Nova Roma's wealthy citizenry. They drank, they laughed, and they flirted. Some of the male and female servants even stood up on tables and did exotic dances.

The woman that had just attempted to lift Scott's spirits decided to do one on a table nearby. She continued looking his direction, but the X-Force leader didn't notice. He remained lost in his misery.

"Do you plan on giving your drink all the attention or are you going to talk to me?" asked Emma.

"Do you even want to listen? I would hate to kill the buzz you get from being pampered," said Scott as he took another gulp of his drink.

"It's already DOA, darling. Much to my frustration, I still care about you, Scott," said Emma in a more serious tone, "I know you better than most and that's not just because we were lovers. I also happen to be a powerful telepath in case you've forgotten."

"I take it that means you've probed my mind already," muttered Scott.

"I don't have to. You're literally shouting at the top of your brain. And to be honest, it's quite _disturbing_."

"Well maybe if I drink enough, I'll hit my psychic mute button," said the X-Force leader as he took another larger gulp.

"If that actually worked, then I wouldn't sense Kurt fantasizing about Amanda, Wanda, and piles of bacon," she retorted, "At least he has the good sense to sulk in moderation. He even has a better excuse with his comatose girlfriend."

"I'm not sulking. I'm just thinking in a way that requires a certain level of misery."

"I wish I could record that and play it back so you can hear how ridiculous that sounds. Then again, your mind is such a mess right now that I'm not sure you would care. Your mind is usually so controlled. This is uncharted territory in terms of self-loathing."

"Therein lies the problem, Emma. I lost that control!" he said angrily, finally looking up from his drink, "I lost it and I can't get it back…not in the way I need right now."

Emma was taken aback by his sudden shift in tone. It echoed with a pain and confusion that he had never experienced. Scott had to take a few deep breaths in order to collect himself. Emma didn't deserve to bear the brunt of his problems. Turning back to his drink, he contemplated the harsh truths that plagued him.

"You say you know me, Emma. But I don't think you understand me. It's one of the many reasons why we broke up," he mused.

"I understand that you're obsesses with control," she retorted, "I can see why you would be troubled after what Romulus did to you, but that's no reason to throw a fit like this."

"If that's what you think, then you just proved my point. You see, I don't obsess over control. I _need_ control. Call it neurotic. It's still important to me…not because of _who_ I am, but because of _what_ I am. I'm a mutant. I have the power to hurt people just by looking at them. If I can't control that, then everyone around me is in danger. It led me to take a life once before. Now it's put Warren in a hospital."

"Is _that_ what this is about? Romulus using your powers to hurt Warren?" surmised Emma, "I'm pretty sure that Warren blames Romulus more than he blames you."

"It doesn't matter who he blames. It was still _my_ power! Whether it was taken from me or not, _I_ was the one that lost control! Romulus made it look so easy. Who's to say that I'll be able to prevent it from happening again?"

"Now you _are_ flirting with someone. Her name is _paranoia_ ," scolded Emma, "Honestly Scott, are you really going to let this destroy you?"

"It already has to some extent," said Scott in a more solemn tone, "It calls into question one of the basic tenants I used to justify X-Force. I opposed Professor Xavier because I thought he was giving up control over his vision for mutants. I thought X-Force could fight to get that control back."

"And we still can. I wouldn't be here if I didn't believe we couldn't, even if I've grown fond of Nova Roman bath houses," said Emma.

"I used to believe that as well. Now I'm not so sure," he went on, "We're mutants, Emma. We lose control and people get hurt. I used to think it was because of the fear and hatred…not in spite of it. Now Romulus has proven that I had it ass backwards. We _are_ dangerous. We _are_ a potential threat. And I don't think X-Force or the X-men for that matter are equipped to deal with it anymore."

The beleaguered man roughly gulped down the rest of his drink, allowing more doubt to consume him. At this point the alcohol was really getting to him. His demeanor, his speech, and his expression were disheveled. He no longer looked like the competent leader that so many relied on.

He felt Emma's harsh eyes scolding him for succumbing to such doubts. He also felt some of her own doubts surfacing. She had no logical response to his statement. There was nothing else to make of it.

"You're in pain right now, Scott. What Romulus did to you left some pretty deep scars," she told him.

"Then why aren't the others as miserable as me right now?" he groaned.

"We're not the leader of this team. That and I suppose we have better coping skills when it comes to losing control," she shrugged.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"I'm just telling you the truth, Scott. The pain you're in now won't last forever. Take it from someone who had to seize control of her life at one point. Control takes effort and right now you're not putting much into it. X-Force still has a mission. I believe in that mission and I can sense that you do as well. You may have to sober up a bit in order to see it, but I know it's there. You wouldn't be this troubled if it wasn't."

Scott held his head low, the alcohol having clouded his thoughts to a point beyond coherence. All these doubts kept swirling within his head. Yet he couldn't tear himself away from X-Force or their mission. The world was a mess after White Cell's attack. It set the stage for any number of greater threats. Even while drunk, he couldn't see himself just walking away from them.

"I don't know anymore, Emma. I just don't know," he said as he slouched over in a drunken daze.

"You will eventually. You're too competent a man not to," said Emma, offering a friendly gesture.

"You're too kind for an ex-girlfriend, Emma."

"I'm only vindictive to those who deserve it. Now we brought you to this bath house so you can heal. If you're not too drunk, I can take you back to one of the private dens and make sure you get the _healing_ you so desperately need."

"Are you doing the flirting now? I thought you were my ex," grumbled Scott.

"I am, I'm not suggesting we rekindle old flames," she said, "I'm just suggesting that maybe a little meaningless intimacy would be better than alcohol. Besides, you and Jean aren't technically together anymore. Why deny yourself something that might help you regain the control you so badly desire?"

"Hnn…don't bring up, Jean," he said, his words becoming more slurred.

"Why not? Don't tell me she's still a mitigating factor in your misery."

Scott let out more groans. This time Emma couldn't even make out what he was saying. Despite offering to pamper him in ways that were only appropriate in a Nova Roman bath house, he continued to accept his misery. Emma tried offering more comforting gestures.

In the end it didn't stop Scott from passing out. His alcohol tolerance just wasn't up to par. That or the mention of Jean Grey made passing out too appealing.

"I suppose this is your way of pleading the fifth, _pathetic_ it may be," she sighed.

Emma signaled one of the male servants to bring over to assist with her drunken friend. He nodded and went to work. This probably wasn't the first time someone passed out drunk in a bath house. It was just tragic that someone as strong as Scott Summers would succumb to such a stupor.

While the male servant retrieved a pillow and some napkins for Scott, Logan entered the bar wearing only a towel. He was smoking a cigar and when he saw Scott he shook his head in bemusement.

"Is this what Cyke's been reduced to? Getting drunk in a bath house next to his ex?" commented Logan.

"Since I know you'll never cut him some slack, I won't bother asking," sighed Emma as she carefully laid Cyclops down, "However, I do think it's a symptom of something more serious."

"With him or with X-Force?" questioned Logan.

"Both," she replied, "We can only hope that Domino's little side-mission bears fruit. We're all in need of a 'moment of clarity' if that's the proper term."

"Well if Cyke is gonna be messed up, I'd say we're all in deep shit. That moment will come with or without his sorry ass and X-Force can't afford distractions."

As soon as he made this point, another figure entered the bar. This time it was Mystique. She was in her blue-skinned form and wearing a towel identical to Logan's, which made obvious her reasons for being here.

"Speaking of distractions," said Emma coyly.

"There you are, Logan. Where's that bottle of wine you promised me after I won the bet?" said the shape-shifter.

"Do I want to know what this bet entails?" said Emma, acting as if she didn't already know, "I thought you were spending time with your son and his comatose girlfriend."

"I was, but he insisted on being alone with her. So I came here," she said casually.

"I'm sure you did…more than once hopefully," said Emma, rolling her eyes.

"Shut up, Frost. Don't make me point out how many ridiculous tips you've left the male workers here," grumbled Logan.

"Fair enough," she shrugged, "But before you resume your lurid escapades, we need to make sure Scott wakes up somewhere comfortable. Preferably one that won't make the hangover more painful than it needs to be."

"Fine, we'll get him a room," said Logan, rolling his eyes, "Far as I'm concerned, he deserves a hangover. The sooner his ass hits rock bottom, the sooner he can go back to being a regular dick. We'll need it once the next crises emerges from the mess my old man left behind."

* * *

 **Istanbul – Turkey**

' _What are the odds someone as lucky as me can feel so unlucky right now? I guess karma is more powerful than luck sometimes. I avoided the three days of manipulation by Romulus. So I have to make up for it by tying up the loose ends. I have no excuse like the others. They need to unwind in those fancy Nova Roman bath houses while I toil in a crowded city, spying on people that may not even be up to anything. Not sure what being lucky means here.'_

It was not a good time to be in a major city. The attacks by Romulus had weakened the defenses of every major nation and some people were taking advantage of it. Turkey, like much of Europe and the Middle East, was no exception.

With boarder disputes to the south with Iraq and diplomatic disputes with a weakened European Union, there was no shortage of vulnerabilities. Students from local universities staged large protests. Religious and political leaders were vying for influence while the central government lacked the resources to silence them. It caused various street closures throughout Istanbul and limited business around the ports. It was in this setting that Domino was supposed to hunt down one last vestige of White Cell.

For her mission, she needed more than luck. Dressed in a traditional hijab that covered most of her face, she tracked her targets through the chaotic city in a game of cat-and-mouse that had been going on for several days now.

She followed a number of leads to a local soccer field in one of the major parks. It wasn't far from where major protests were going on so it was unusually crowded. A couple of unruly games had broken out and there was plenty of cheering going on. It allowed Domino to maneuver undetected towards her waiting targets.

' _These guys picked a hell of a setting. I doubt their sports fans so there better be a reason for this. Otherwise I'm using Wolverine for target practice when I get back.'_

Domino slipped through the crowded hoards to the small concession stands behind the bleachers. Most had already been raided so there weren't many people paying attention to this area. Guided by luck and skill, she made her move.

As Domino closed in, she identified her targets. One was Frenzy, a known mutant operative from White Cell who wasn't present at the base when Romulus was defeated. Next to her were two well-dressed women in business suits. They were Adrienne and Cordelia Frost, the deviant sisters of Emma. They seemed to be waiting for someone. Domino used an enhanced listening device stitched into her hijab to eavesdrop, hoping something would finally come of this mission.

"Your contact picked a lousy place to meet, Cordelia. We're uncomfortably exposed here," said an impatient Adrienne Frost.

"Given how often you _expose_ yourself, I find it hard to believe it's that uncomfortable," quipped Cordelia dryly, who carefully scanned the area through a pair of sunglasses.

"For someone as smart as you, I find it utterly asinine that you don't see a problem with this scenario. I wonder if impaling you with my Gucci stilettos would knock some sense into you," grumbled the attractive blonde.

"Those stilettos won't do you much good in a Turkish prison," said Frenzy, "And trust me, someone like you wouldn't last a second."

"And I'm sure someone like you would be just at home, Frenzy," quipped Adrienne, "If I were you, I'd be grateful. We didn't have to bring you along for this, but unfortunately we need muscle. It's the only way we'll get our White Cell accounts unfrozen."

"Seeing as how your brainiac sister here couldn't hack it, what makes you think this contact will be able to?" Frenzy questioned.

"Because this contact has access to black market resources that we don't," answered Cordelia, "As it just so happens, he's offering his services without us having to pay him what little money we have left."

"So then how are we paying him? Are you going to ask me to sleep with him because that trick is getting _old_ ," said Adrienne dryly.

"Not this time, dear sister. That leads me to the other reason why I wanted Frenzy to tag along. This _payment_ he wants from us requires more than a little muscle."

Cordelia was the only one who remained calm. Adrienne and Frenzy continued to scold her for putting them in this position. They continued anxiously watching the crowds swarm in and out of the soccer stadium. Between the nearby protests and the lack of order, it was not a good time to make a deal. Unfortunately, this was one of the few luxuries that even they couldn't afford.

As Domino kept listening, she grew more intrigued. It sounded like she was onto something. These three had been randomly lofting around the city for days, complaining about not having access to the dirty money they earned at White Cell. Now they were finally doing something about it.

' _Finally, they're making this mission interesting. They're cunning enough to escape White Cell's collapse, but not skilled enough to hold onto their money. Last I heard, White Cell was being absorbed by UN affiliates and redeployed to certain areas. So why would they need to slip under the radar? They must have something to hide.'_

Domino sat down against a wall across from where Frenzy and the Frost sisters had gathered. She pretended to be a beggar, sitting near others who were holding their hands out in hopes of charity. Under her veil, she adjusted the signal so she could listen in closer. As a fresh crowd of protesters entered from the stands, they were finally approached by a man in a baseball cap and a trench coat.

"You ladies look lost. Do you need a male guide to get through these unruly festivities?" the man asked.

"That depends," said Cordelia cryptically, "Did you come in on a fancy boat or a private jet?"

"I arrived by any means necessary. I assume you did as well," said the man.

Cordelia smiled and took off her sunglasses. This was just the man she had been waiting for. He promised to put them back on track in major way.

"Are you two talking in code because I need to know if I should punch this man back to the days of Constantinople," said Frenzy.

"It's okay, Frenzy. The charade is over. This is the man I told you about," said Cordelia.

" _This_ is Black Tom Cassidy?" said Adrienne with a raised eyebrow, "Honestly, I thought he was taller."

"I'm big where it counts, madam," said Black Tom coyly, "Before you take that the wrong way, please note that I successfully unfrozen two of your accounts a mere five minutes ago. Please accept this as insurance that I can do what I claim for the other eight accounts, provided you complete the task I lay before you."

"Cordelia, tell me this man isn't just undressing me with his eyes," said Adrienne, who remained skeptical under this man's gaze.

"Like you need a 189 IQ to figure that out," said Cordelia as she took out a tablet computer, "Give me a minute to verify his claim."

Frenzy and Adrienne waited, never taking their eyes off Black Tom. He maintained a confident grin. It didn't take long for Cordelia to check their accounts. After a tense moment, she let out a sigh of relief and nodded. This man proved he could deliver and that certainly helped his credibility.

"He's telling the truth. Two of our Swiss accounts are unfrozen and fully accessible," said Cordelia.

"Marvelous," said Adrienne, "Now we can stop sleeping in two-star hotels with mediocre room service."

"For a while, but I'd feel much better with a much higher line of credit," said Cordelia as she put her computer away, "Tell me more about this _task_ you mentioned. What does it entail and why do you need us to do it?"

Black Tom smiled ominously. He had their full attention and they had his. He took off his baseball cap so he could address the three women more formally. From afar Domino's eyes widened as she took in this man's appearance. Her mission went from boring to volatile in a very short span.

' _It IS Black Tom! This just got dangerous in way too many ways. Nightcrawler told me about this guy. He's an arms dealer in a world that lost over half it's military. If anyone's in a position to take advantage of this mess, it's him.'_

Domino carefully adjusted her listening device so that she could hear their conversation. She also kept her guns ready. Whenever Black Tom showed up, danger was never far behind.

"My reasons for choosing you are purely pragmatic," Black Tom told the three women, "You each have more incentive than most to _not_ screw this up. You each were heavily involved in White Cell's more nefarious operations. The UN is making a big deal out of capturing people like you and holding them accountable. It also doesn't help that you were skimming some of White Cell's revenue for your own personal use."

"Are you going to lecture us on how we make our money? Or are you going to get to the point?" scolded Adrienne.

"Don't be silly. I'm in the illegal arms business. I'm in no position to lecture anyone on the ethics of making money. However, I _am_ in a position to make deals that most aren't in a position to make. I can not only unlock your accounts. I can make sure the UN doesn't bother you as you make use of them."

"Do we even want to know how you can manage that?" said Frenzy with folded arms.

"I think you'll sleep better at night if I didn't tell you," he said with a wry grin, "But this kind of safety doesn't come cheap. In order to pay for such a service, you will need to retrieve something for me…something important that most are not desperate enough to try."

"What is it? How dangerous is this _something_ you speak of?" asked Cordelia.

"It's not so much what it is that is such a problem. It's the location," said Black Tom, "This brings me to a certain caveat that I must mention before I offer further details."

"I'm already quite dubious," said Adrienne, "Tell us what it entails so we can start coping with the frustration."

"That's where it gets tricky, I'm afraid. You see, before I go any further I have a confession to make."

"Confession? You're not going back on our arrangement already, are you?" scolded Cordelia.

"I'm not going back on anything. This is a matter of pure logistics. The deal I'm offering can only accommodate one of you. As much as I wish I could help you all, I've already decided who will receive my charity."

Before Adrienne and Cordelia could voice their outrage any further, they felt a wave of paralysis come over them. A strange screech echoed in their ears and their bodies went ridged. No one else around them seemed to be affected. Frenzy wasn't even affected, but she still took a defensive stance. Outraged and confused, they angrily scolded Black Tom.

"Ungh! Can't…move," grunted Adrienne.

"What…what did you do to us?" said Cordelia.

"Oh I'm not doing anything. It's my dear daughter, Siryn. She has taken the liberty of subduing you so that you can't make a scene, "said Black Tom, taunting the two women with a domineering gesture, "I suggest you not fight it. My daughter has a propensity to play rough."

"So you _are_ betraying us!" said Frenzy, who prepared to tear into this man.

"I'm only betraying them, Ms. Cargill. Not you," said Black Tom defensively, "Tell me, would you rather earn your freedom and trust the Frost sisters to compensate you for your efforts? Or would you rather earn those funds for yourself and secure that freedom?"

Frenzy raised an eyebrow. She studied Black Tom for a moment. Then she turned back towards the Frost sisters, who looked more uncomfortable by the minute. These women had been insufferable at White Cell. They were greedy, manipulative, and completely without honor. Being a former soldier, that was more than enough reason not to trust them. The promise of more money only sweetened the deal.

"Errrr! Don't even…consider it, Frenzy! You betray us…we burn you!" scolded Cordelia.

"I've already considered it _and_ come to a decision," scoffed Frenzy, "I'm sorry girls, but Black Tom is more trustworthy than you. Given his reputation, I think that says a lot."

"You…conniving…bitch!" seethed Adrienne.

"That's soon-to-be-much-richer conniving bitch to you," said Frenzy with a half-grin, "Sorry, but you of all people should know that some opportunities are just too lucrative to pass up."

With smug satisfaction, Frenzy turned back towards Black Tom who looked quite amused by the Frost sisters' outburst.

"Mr. Cassidy, I accept your offer," said Frenzy, "Tell me what you need me to do and I'll do it."

"Wonderful!" said Black Tom with a grin, "I've already arranged our transportation. I'll leave my darling daughter to deal with these two."

Black Tom raised his hand and waved his baseball cap in the air. That signaled another woman wearing a veil that covered most of her body to emerge from near the restrooms. She removed her veil to reveal herself as Siryn. As she approached, she continued focusing her powers on the Frost sisters. Since there were no so much crowd noise and so few security guards, they had no means of calling for help.

"Looks like I owe your cohorts back home some money," said Siryn with a grin, "I was so certain that it wouldn't be _this_ easy."

"Such is the value of a well-organized plan that relies on pitfalls and advantages of greed," said Black Tom, "Will you be able to take care of this quietly, my dear?"

"Oh don't worry, father. When I'm through with these two, the only ones they'll do business will be the bugs that devour their corpses," she said sadistically.

"Fuck…you…Black Tom," grunted Adrienne.

"You'll…regret this," groaned Cordelia, "You think…I'm not smart enough…to prepare for betrayal?"

"It doesn't matter what you've prepared for. It won't do you much good if you're dead," reasoned Black Tom as he turned away, "Come Frenzy. Do not waste another second worrying about these scoundrels."

"I've already forgotten their names, Mr. Cassidy," said Frenzy as she followed close behind.

"We have a long trip ahead of us," he went on, "Siryn, don't take too long."

"I'll catch up, father. I promise I'll be quick and efficient," said Siryn in anticipation.

Trusting his daughter's menacing threat, Black Tom put his baseball cap back on and led Frenzy into the crowds. It allowed Siryn plenty of room to take care of these unruly deviants. She carefully looked around her, formulating a plan. The two paralyzed sisters watched on with outrage and anxiety.

At this point, Domino could no longer justify remaining hidden. Black Tom's betrayal was hardly a surprise, but the deal he kept referring to sounded more complex than simply stealing White Cell's dirty assets. It had all the trappings of something that needed to be stopped.

As she rose up from where she was sitting, she quickly lost Black Tom in the crowds. However, she never lost sight of Siryn and the Frost sisters. If she was going to remain on their trail, she had to act.

' _A deal with Black Tom on top of a betrayal…sounds like a typical Saturday afternoon for him. What the hell could he be up to this time? Going after him now would be pushing my luck. I think my chances are better with two sisters who now have plenty of reasons to screw up his plan.'_

Acting on a whim, Domino put away her listening equipment and rose up. She started making her way through the crowds towards Siryn and the Frost sisters. It looked like Siryn was going to lead them into the vacant concession stand where she could do all the horrible things she had planned in peace.

Before she could make her first move, Domino made hers. Taking out a concealed 45 caliber pistol, she fired a random shot under her veil that echoed through the stadium.

"Someone has a gun!" yelled an older woman with two children.

"It must be the police! They must have rearmed!" yelled an old man.

"We must evacuate the stadium! Hurry!" urged one of the protesters.

The sudden outburst completely disrupted the unruly crowds that were disorganized to begin with. For Siryn, it complicated her task. She had to carefully guard the Frost sisters before anyone got wind of her activities.

"Still want to kill us…with all this going on?" taunted Adrienne.

"Your luck is worse than your graveling," scolded Siryn, "This changes nothing. We'll just have to be a little more _subtle_."

"Now where's the fun in that?" came a nearby voice.

Siryn instinctively turned around only to see Domino emerge from the crowd. She promptly pulled up her veil to reveal that she was the one who had fired the shot. With that same gun, she fired another that struck Siryn right in the knee.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" she yelled out in pain.

Her cries were almost muted by the noise of the crowds. The sound of another gunshot got them to move even faster. In addition, the pain of being shot was enough to break her hold on the Frost sisters.

"I can control my body again!" exclaimed Adrienne.

"Congratulations! Your career as a business whore is saved," said Cordelia, "Now let's get out of here and go after Black Tom."

"No…you won't!" seethed Siryn.

With far less subtlety, Siryn unleashed another punishing shriek at the Frost sisters. This time it did more than just paralyze them. It hit them with a concussive force that caused them to fall flat on their faces. With their ears ringing and their heads reeling, they wouldn't be able to move for a good five minutes or so. That was more than enough time to take care of this threat.

"Nice trick! Let's see if you can do it after I shoot your other knee," said Domino as she threw off her veil.

"You…did the Frost sisters hire you as insurance?" grunted Siryn as she grasped her wounded knee.

"Oh please, I'm insulted," scoffed Domino, "I'm just a trigger-happy girl who thinks it's in everyone's interest that your dad fails at everything."

Seething with pain and frustration, Siryn let out an angry sonic yell. This time she wasn't careful about it. Her sonic shockwaves hit nearby crowds and did damage to support pillars. Domino managed to avoid them by running off to her right. She lost herself in the fleeting crowds, which were now more panicked than ever.

"Now it's a mutant attack? How much worse can this get?" exclaimed a young woman as she ran with her family towards the exit.

"Don't bother thinking about it! They're doing significant damage! Let's get out before it collapses!" said the young woman's father.

Domino heard this remark as she continued to run full speed, narrowly avoiding Siryn's sonic attack. She looked around and noticed that the stadium was not responding well to Siryn's attacks. Some of the support pillars were cracking. Some of those cracks extended to the roof. As the sonic yells drew uncomfortably close, she looked up saw one of the cracks forming right over Siryn's head. Once again, her luck would have to continue.

"If I told you shutting up was in your best interests, would you listen?" asked Domino as she kept running.

"DIIIIIIIEEEEEEEE!" yelled Siryn through her sonic attack.

"Just checking," she said with a grin.

With an acrobatic leap, Domino used one of the trash cans to leap up over the sonic blast. As she did, she fired three more shots at the ceiling above her head. The cracks along with Domino's luck, triggered a sizable chunk of the old soccer stadium to break off. It fell and struck Siryn right in the head, delivering a blow that both shut her up and nearly knocked her out.

"Ungh!" she grunted as she fell to the ground.

"Silence is golden," said Domino as she landed right in front of her.

By now most of the people had cleared out. Siryn's attack added some much-needed urgency, allowing Domino more room to operate. With no more crowds in her way, she approached the injured Siryn. With a wounded knee and a nasty bruise on her head, she wasn't in a position to fight back.

"Okay, daddy's girl. Time for the Q&A. Where's your old man heading and what's he up to?"

"Hnn…" was all Siryn could get out.

Domino rolled her eyes in frustration. It seemed she played a bit too rough. She couldn't tell her what she needed to know if she was injured. She didn't have the luxury of calling for paramedics and waiting. Black Tom was on the move and she had to improvise. So she turned towards the Frost sisters, who were paralyzed yet conscious.

"Never mind. I'll try my luck elsewhere," said Domino as she made her way over to the two paralyzed women.

"Who…are you?" groaned Cordelia.

"Someone with just as many reasons to torment Black Tom as you," she said as she knelt over her paralyzed form, "Tell me, when you said you were smart enough to prepare for his betrayal, were you bluffing?"

"Of course not," she grunted, "What's it to you?"

"Well, if you point me in the right direction, I can promise that Black Tom's luck will take a serious turn for the worse. That's assuming, of course, you're the vindictive type."

Cordelia Frost looked up at Domino and scowled. She desperately wanted Black Tom to suffer. She had no reason to trust this woman. But if there was any chance to make Black Tom pay, then it was a chance worth taking.

"I did a little computer hacking before this meeting," said Cordelia breathlessly, "You better listen closely because we're supposed leave on a private yacht within the hour. I don't know what he has planned and I don't care anymore. Just make sure he fails!"

* * *

 **Xavier Institute – Xavier's Office**

Professor Xavier returned to his institute in a solemn daze. There was no use arguing with the President or anyone else in a position of power anymore. They were too caught up in the security gap left by White Cell. They were only interested in the symptoms and not the disease that caused it.

As the Professor entered his office, he casually tossed the thick stack of papers to the side. He leaned back against his door and groaned in frustration. The Mutant Monitoring Initiative was supposed to make the X-men's work simpler. The debacle with White Cell was a case study in the authorities obstructing their mission.

They had more than enough evidence to go after White Cell. Because of political pandering and the corruption that White Cell utilized, the X-men were unable to do their job. Now the world was suffering as a result and worst of all, the authorities he so trusted wouldn't do anything to fix it.

As he rubbed his tired head, Professor Xavier turned towards a picture he had mounted on his wall. It was one of the future pictures he managed to salvage from the old institute. It depicted the X-men in their early days when they still wore masks. It had Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Thunderbird, Wolfsbane, Angel, and Beast. His gaze focused on Cyclops, who had warned him about this very possibility.

"No one will listen. No one will make the changes that need to be made," he mused, "We could have stopped White Cell, but the powers that be wouldn't let us. You warned me about ceding that power. It turns out you may have been right."

Professor Xavier remained fixated on the picture. He casually brushed his hands over it as if to reconnect with a less complicated time.

"What happened with White Cell could easily be corrected. Yet no one has the time or energy to do so. They're too focused on cleaning up the damage. In doing so, they render themselves more vulnerable. It feels like the beginning of a cycle that we can't afford to be on. There are only so many times we can get lucky. If by then you and X-Force haven't made your point, then all will be lost."

Unable to face the picture anymore, Professor Xavier held his head low and walked over to his desk. He let himself sink into his seat, feeling at a loss for his cause and his X-men. The authorities had made it painfully clear. There would be no reforms for the foreseeable future. Whatever crisis emerged in the meantime would face the same problems. If the X-men had to keep defying the Mutant Monitoring Initiative in order to save it, then the entire premise of the plan lost all meaning.

As Professor Xavier mused over such dire circumstances, he noticed an envelope on his desk. It was blank, bearing no return address or official markings. It had only the name Charles written on the center. In need of a distraction, he picked up the envelope and opened it.

"Unless this is a notice from the IRS, I'll accept any news as positive," he sighed.

Upon opening the envelope, the Professor unfolded a single-page handwritten letter. He quickly grew more intrigued. Then when he saw who it was from and what it said, his expression paled.

" _You were right, Charles. Dreams are worth fighting for. In order for them to come true, it must begin where mine came to an end. I look forward to seeing you soon. Erik."_

Professor Xavier's hands trembled as he read over the letter repeatedly. At first he refused to believe it, but he recognized the handwriting. It most certainly belonged to Magneto.

"Erik…you've picked a hell of a time to reemerge," said Xavier, "You say I was right. Why do I not take comfort in this for a second?"

His frustrations over the Mutant Monitoring Initiative would have to wait. Magneto was back. He quickly folded up the letter and rushed out of his office to retrieve his X-men. Their next crisis was already upon them and this time they weren't going to rely on the authorities to make it easier.

* * *

 **Port of Istanbul**

"What are you overpaid thugs waiting for? Shoot her!" ordered an increasingly anxious Black Tom.

"We've got her pinned down, sir! Just get on the boat and cast off!" ordered one of Black Tom's body guards.

"And leave my daughter behind?" he questioned.

"We'll catch up with her, sir. But if she hasn't shown up by now, then she's probably not going to!"

Black Tom struggled to contain his outrage. This affair had been going so well up until several minutes ago. He and Frenzy arrived at a private port where his yacht was anchored. The Frost sisters weren't supposed to know about it and Siryn was supposed to meet up with them before they disembarked. That all changed when some gun-wielding woman ambushed them and started shooting.

That woman was Domino and she had already taken down three of Black Tom's hired guns. After her chat with Cordelia Frost, she followed her information and it let her right to Black Tom. Sneaking past the undermanned security was the easy part. Getting through Black Tom's thugs was the real challenge. They were probably better equipped than any port guard at this point. They managed to pin her against a couple of empty oil drums while Black Tom's crew raised the anchor on his yacht.

"There a problem, Mr. Cassidy?" asked Frenzy in annoyance, "You look _flustered_."

"An unexpected, but minor setback," said Black Tom, "Those Frost sisters must have made some friends for a change."

"Those two? Fat chance!" scoffed Frenzy.

"It doesn't matter. Siryn knows her role. If she's as cunning as I taught her, she'll find a way back to me. In the meantime, we have our destination. We don't need to stick around and waste time or bullets on this inconvenience!"

Black Tom signaled the captain to move faster. He got the message and activated the yacht's engines. It wasn't long before it accelerated out from the port, using the light fog over the sea as cover.

Domino grunted in frustration. Three remaining thugs kept her pinned with incessant gunfire. She felt the bullets streak by, doing plenty of damage to the barrel and keeping her from her target.

' _Damn it! He's getting away. I suppose I could swim after the guy, but I would rather take the dry route. That means my aim is going to have to be perfect yet again.'_

Clutching her two 45 caliber pistols, Domino took a deep breath. She waited until the three thugs had to reload. These were professionals so that left her a very brief window. Just as another bullet narrowly missed her neck, she jumped out from behind the oil drum and fired two shots. Her perfect luck continued and they struck two of the thugs right in the chest.

"Ungh!" they both yelled out.

"Ooh, that can't be good," groaned the body guard.

The two thugs were dead soon after they hit the ground. When Black Tom's body guard saw this, he panicked as he emptied the last bullet from his uzi. With no more bullets flying towards Domino, she was free to run out and attack him head on.

He almost dropped his uzi as he tried to load another clip. As soon as he did, Domino fired another shot that hit him right in the hand. She then followed it up with another that hit him right in his stomach.

"Ahhhhhhhh!" he cried out as he fell flat on his back.

"I'm normally more careful, but anyone stupid enough to work for Black Tom deserves some extra _discomfort_ ," said Domino.

The body guard was down and bleeding profusely. He was already coughing up blood and in a lot of pain. As Domino approached, she looked out towards the port and saw that Black Tom's yacht was long gone. There was no way she could catch it now. The best she could do was find out where it was heading. For that information, she reloaded one of her guns and pointed it at the wounded body guard.

"Your boss is gone and he's not coming back for you," she told him, "Those shots I fired will require that your hand be amputated and you'll be paralyzed from the waist down. Then again, at the rate you're bleeding it probably won't be for long."

"Errrrrrr! You…bitch," cried the man.

"I know it hurts, but if you tell me where that yacht is heading I promise I'll make it quick and painless. I'll find out either way, but this will be easier for both of us."

The wounded body guard looked up at Domino with burning anger. Blood was still gushing from his mouth and he couldn't stop the bleeding. He was in so much pain and there was no telling how long it would lastHis loyalty to Black Tom was strong, but this kind of pain eclipsed any loyalty.

"Genosha…they're heading for Genosha," said the man, his voice choked with blood.

Domino was shocked by this revelation. She studied the man for a moment, looking for any signs that he might be lying. Seeing none, she was inclined to believe him.

"Genosha huh?" she said, "Sounds like a hell of a vacation spot. Consider yourself lucky."

With one shot, Domino kept her promise and ended the man's life as painlessly as possible. The tedious part of her mission was officially complete. Now the much messier part would take her and X-Force to the shores of Genosha where far greater dangers would surely await.

* * *

 **Up next: Uncivil Disobedience**


	19. Issue 167: Uncivil Disobedience

**Issue #167  
Uncivil Disobedience**

* * *

 _It is a time of heightened tensions. Professor Charles Xavier and his X-men have always been on the front lines of the human/mutant conflict. However, this time the tensions aren't restricted to mutants._

 _When Romulus and his cohorts at White Cell used an army of Weapon X warriors to cripple global defenses, he created a state of anarchy. The governments of the world are scrambling to restore order. This has proved difficult in a way that has rendered mutant relations a secondary concern, which may end up causing more conflicts._

 _In the midst of White Cell's destruction, certain elements within the organization tried to escape justice. Frenzy, along with Cordelia and Adrienne Frost, were on the run and in need of assistance. As a result, they turned to Black Tom Cassidy, who promised to unfreeze their accounts and provide them sanctuary. As is often the case, Black Tom took advantage of their desperation. He left the Frost sisters in the hands of his daughter, Siryn, while he led Frenzy to a yacht on route to Genosha._

 _Thanks to Domino, X-Force has a lead on Black Tom. Despite their weakened state, they are in a position to act while the X-men remain hindered by the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. It's a situation that Charles Xavier finds untenable and recently, he received an even greater reason to change it._

* * *

 **Washington DC – Chinatown**

"Ain't it ironic that we gotta go to Chinatown to get the best barbeque in DC, sugah?" said Rogue as she bit into a large pulled pork sandwich.

"Depends on the kind of irony you be referring to," quipped Remy, who was finishing a steak, "Is it dramatic irony or Socratic irony?"

"If Ah ask what the difference is, will you use it as an excuse to go off on one of your philosophy rants?"

"Who says Remy needs an excuse? I know you love it when Remy goes on about the mysteries of life. You wouldn't be having lunch with me on our day off if you didn't."

Rogue laughed as she finished off her sandwich. It was a nice dose of normalcy after a string of tedious missions that involved mostly glorified peacekeeping. At a simple restaurant in downtown DC, she was just a woman having lunch with her boyfriend. It helped remind her that she still had a personal life that was worth cherishing.

It was amazing they had the energy for something a lunch date. Rogue had been traveling all around the globe with Jean, Ororo, and Piotr. They encountered many incidents similar to what they faced in Los Angeles. The destruction of major defenses allowed riots of angry citizens to cause trouble.

In addition, Remy and Betsy were helping the UN and Interpol combat well-armed criminal organizations from filling the security void. That was made more difficult by Betsy constantly visiting Warren. She along with others like Jean and Ororo were unable to keep personal matters from affecting them.

In the midst of the security crisis and the debate over the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, very few constants remained in place. Rogue and Remy's relationship was one of the few not affected by these profound changes in the way the X-men operate. Moments like this were surreal in many ways. It showed that they could make this work on a serious level.

"Since you're in such a philosophizing mood, what do you make of you and meh through all this craziness?" she asked.

"Define you and me, cherè," said the Cajun, "There be many ways to make sense of it and Remy just ain't talking about what goes on in the bedroom."

"Ah mean you and meh in terms of the big picture," Rogue said in a more serious tone, "The Mutant Monitoring Initiative put a lot of strain on everybody else. Ororo and James Proudstar had to put their fling on hold. So did Betsy and Warren. Peter and Kitty are stuck trying to make a long-distance relationship work. Then there's Scott and Jean, who literally _died_ for one another at some point. They ain't saying they broke up, but it's pretty dang close."

"You think it be fair to compare our relationship to everyone else? The circumstances be pretty damn different."

"That's kind of mah point. You and meh had to jump through so many hoops to get together. Even after it happened, it took some time to get serious. Now here we are, having a nice lunch date like a regular healthy couple. Ah guess the point Ah'm trying to make is…could this be a sign?"

Rogue reached across the table and captured Remy's hand in hers. She squeezed it gently, conveying honest emotion that ran between them. Remy squeezed back as he took a moment to contemplate her questions. He had time to give his relationship with Rogue such serious thought. As he looked across the table into her wanting eyes, he found himself smiling.

"Remy's played plenty of games with his life. In all those games, ain't much luck involved. We make our own luck. We work to play the best hand we got," he said, "That ain't just a cute card pun either. That's how Remy sees you and me. We worked to get to where we are. When stuff like the Mutant Monitoring Initiative comes along, we got the cards we need to play through it."

"So how serious does that make us? Are we ready to start playing a different kind of game together?" she asked him.

"What kind of game?"

"Ah don't know…the kind of games two people play when they move beyond the whole flirting and teasing phase," said Rogue more distantly.

"What does _that_ even entail?" questioned Remy.

"Ah don't know! You're the philosophy buff. That's why Ah'm asking you," she said in a half-teasing manner.

Remy paused for a moment. He set aside his food and grasped Rogue's hand. He hesitated to give an answer. What she described was serious. He hadn't been involved with anyone like this since Belladonna. Knowing how tragically that turned out, the Cajun chose his words and his emotions very carefully.

"Cherè, Remy don't think either of us can answer those questions right now," he said, "But the fact we be asking them is a telling sign."

"What kind of a sign?" asked Rogue curiously.

"Don't worry. It be a good sign," said Remy with a light smile, "It means we're thinking about playing new games with higher stakes. We may or may not be ready for them. We can't know for certain right now. Hell, it probably ain't the right time after White Cell dealt us a hell of a wild card."

"That's part of what worries meh. There's always gonna be another crisis just around the corner. Will there ever even be a _right time_?"

"Remy thinks there will," he said confidently, "Remy believes that what we got to be special. It ain't luck or chance that I love you so much, Rogue. Games like love tend to play themselves out as they ought to. So Remy's got confidence that it'll play out in our favor…no matter what the next crisis turns out to be."

The Cajun grasped her hand firmly. Even with her durability, Rogue felt herself weaken under his grip. Remy had genuine confidence in their relationship. Even in the midst of the recent crisis with White Cell, she shared that confidence. Having gone through so much to just get together, their love was that much more meaningful.

As Rogue and Remy cherished their quiet moment, both their cell phones started buzzing. The romantic ambience quickly gave way to the pragmatic aspect of their lives. They still shared an affectionate smile. As X-men, they were used to such interruptions.

"What are the odds that this is the next crisis calling?" said Rogue.

"Ain't no philosophy needed for that, cherè," said Remy with a light-hearted sigh as he signaled for the check, "This be another game we gotta play. Except the rules for this game ain't nearly as fair."

* * *

 **Xavier Institute – War Room.**

"So Magneto is back?" groaned Rogue.

"In a manner of speaking," sighed Professor Xavier.

"You don't sound nearly as outraged as I was when I heard this news," said Captain Jack Freeman in a more urgent tone.

"Well, given how vulnerable White Cell left the world, it makes _way_ too much sense that he would strike at a time like this," Rogue reasoned.

"It's sickening, but _distressingly_ logical," said Hank.

The mood in the War Room was tense. Professor Xavier treated it very carefully. They didn't need to cause another widespread panic, especially at a time when global defenses were weakened. After scrutinizing the letter and doing some psychic investigating, he summoned his X-men. Jean, Hank, Ororo, Rogue, Remy, Piotr, and Betsy stopped whatever they were doing as Magneto always took precedent.

Since there were still many unknowns, Professor Xavier avoided telling too many people. The last thing he wanted was more obstruction from the authorities. The only ones within the government that knewe General Grimshaw and Captain Freeman. The General was in the field so he was present through an encrypted holographic communication link. While he maintained his stoic demeanor, he shared the Professor's concern about the timing of this revelation.

" _I suppose it was only a matter of time. Magneto has never been one to squander opportunities,"_ said General Grimshaw's image over the link, _"What concerns me most is whether or not logic even plays a role here. If memory serves me right, he was not in a stable mindset when he disappeared."_

"When has Magneto ever been in a stable mindset?" said Piotr dryly.

"Point taken, but I remember it too," said Captain Freeman, "After the Cambrian mess, Magneto took his sanity into a dark room and beat it to death. Disappearing without a trace probably didn't help."

"That's where I disagree, Captain," said Professor Xavier, "I suspect that Magneto is not only sane. He's more competent than he was _before_ the Cambrian affair."

"What makes you say that, Charles?" asked Ororo, "All he did was write you a letter."

"It isn't just any letter, Ororo. I've known Erik a long time. I knew him before he became Magneto. Yet in all that time, I can't recall him ever saying the phrase 'you were right' so candidly. He's not the kind of man who makes such of concessions."

"Or maybe that's just proof that he is _that_ mental," muttered Betsy.

"The man went through the trouble of writin' a letter and made sure it was on Xavier's desk without anybody noticing," Remy pointed out, "That ain't the sort of thing a crazy fella does."

" _Crazy or not, he has to have a reason to call you out, Professor. What could that reason entail?"_ asked General Grimshaw, _"I hope he left some clues because we don't have the resources to do a full-scale investigation."_

"He did indeed, General. Moreover, I believe they're clues we can act on," said Professor Xavier confidently.

With the letter still in hand, the Professor brought up another holographic image. It depicted a regional map that included a location that the X-men were all too familiar with. As he zoomed in on it, he referred to the other part of the letter that was so telling.

"In his letter, Magneto referenced the place where his dream ended," he went on as he worked the controls, "It wasn't a very subtle clue, but I suspect he _wants_ me to uncover what he's planning. You all cited the state Magneto was in when we last encountered him. I'm sure you all remember _where_ he was as well."

"You don't mean…" began Piotr, his words quickly trailing off.

"Where else could it be other than Genosha?" Xavier surmised.

A noticeable groan echoed throughout the team. So much conflict had come from this tiny island nation. When it was evacuated, there was a sliver of hope that they would _never_ have to deal with it again. Once again, their hopes proved futile.

"Dang, as if that island ain't cursed enough," commented Rogue.

"Cursed and deserted," said Jean as she and the others gazed at the holographic image of the island, "There's nothing there anymore. Why would Magneto lead us there again?"

"Maybe he's still crazy and wants us to die of radiation poisoning," said Captain Freeman.

" _Let's assume for a moment that Magneto isn't crazy and he knows what he's doing,"_ said General Grimshaw in a more serious tone, _"If he has any secrets, Genosha is a perfect place to hide them. The island has been designated a no-mans-land by the UN. The radiation the Brotherhood left behind rendered most of the land uninhabitable."_

"Almost being the operative word, General," said Hank as he zeroed in on a few key areas of the island, "There are a few remaining pockets of radiation-free zones. If I recall, most of the major cities were evacuated before the mass exodus. This includes the capital city where Magneto concentrated much of his resources."

"But if he did leave anything behind, wouldn't we have found it while we were still combing through the remains?" asked Jean.

"Magneto guards his secrets well. I doubt we would have found anything he didn't want us to find," Xavier surmised, "Now that he wants us to find it, I think it's in our best interests to do so."

"That still assumes that he isn't leading us into a trap," said Piotr.

"Oui, we all know how much Magneto _loves_ traps," said Remy.

"Well I guess there's only one way to find out," sighed Captain Freeman.

"Ooh boy, does this mean what I think it means?" groaned Rogue.

" _The captain is right. The only way we'll answer these burning questions is to go to the source. That means going to Genosha and finding whatever it is Magneto wants us to find,"_ said the General.

More anxiety ensued. Any search that involved tracking Magneto usually ended in disaster. Even if it wasn't a trap, it still had all the makings of a much greater plot. It was most likely a plot the X-men would have to confront and thwart. This at a time when the world didn't have the stomach or the resources to deal with a global crisis.

"Well, I have to hand it to the old bloke," sighed Betsy, "He sure knows how to make a bad situation worse."

"Do we even know what we're looking for, Professor?" asked Ororo.

"I wouldn't have summoned you if I didn't, X-men," said Xavier, maintaining his poise despite the daunting prospect of facing Magneto, "Hank and I have been using SWORD's satellites to do a thorough scan of Genosha. Thanks to their advanced hardware, we have been able to detect a new range of activity."

"How recent is this activity?" asked Jean.

"Quite recent, actually. It began shortly before Charles received this letter and has been escalating since," said Hank as he expanded the map so that it was focused on the capital city, "The activity is magnetic in nature and centered around the citadel."

"Could that mean Magneto is there?" questioned Piotr.

"It's possible, but not very probable," said Hank, "The source of the magnetic activity is not from within the citadel. In fact, this activity doesn't appear to have a source. At least not an _earthly_ source."

"Earthly? You mean it could be coming from space?" asked Rogue.

"We're not sure, but that is not our primary concern at the moment," said Professor Xavier as he zoomed in on the citadel, "The activity appears to be reacting to this source rather than generating it. Think of it as a radio picking up a new signal."

"So what kind of _radio_ are we talking about her?" asked Captain Freeman, "A weapon? A bomb? The key to Magneto's secret stash of Viagra?"

"That's what we're going to find out," said the Professor as he turned off the holographic projector, "Whatever it is, Magneto wants us to find it and we had best do so before someone else stumbles upon it."

"Who would even be in a position to stumble across something like this in the first place?" said Betsy skeptically.

"Hell, who could?" questioned Rogue.

"The list is small, but not small enough to ignore," said Jean, eager to get back into the field.

While the X-men took in the new information, Hank and the Professor printed out a sheet of data that included a map of the citadel. Genosha was dangerous enough when it was a mutant nation. Now it was even more dangerous as a deserted wasteland with dark secrets that had yet to be uncovered.

Through the communication link, General Grimshaw pondered the daunting task that lay before him. In a world already weakened by White Cell's attack, they couldn't afford to let a new threat emerge on Genosha. Stopping Magneto's plots were always difficult, but the logistics of this mission were already compounded.

" _Let's not begin to speculate who could or couldn't take advantage of this,"_ said General Grimshaw through the link, _"Right now, circumstances look to be our biggest challenge. Shortly after the Genosha exodus, the UN kept a small naval force around the island just in case. That force was damaged in the White Cell attack. Any undamaged ships were redeployed to other hot spots."_

"In other words, the island is unguarded," Piotr surmised.

" _Unguarded, but not unmonitored,"_ the General went on, _"NATO and a host of other nations have agreed that Genosha is off limits. Even Somali pirates aren't stupid enough to go near it. Between these treaties and the Chernobyl style environment, anyone that sets foot on the island is sure to spark more international tensions."_

"Haven't they already blown up enough, General?" Rogue pointed out, "Ah mean seriously, who would notice if we took a quick trip there for old time sake?"

" _More than enough to make everything worse,"_ he replied sternly, _"Which is why I'll be listing this as a black operation. The President will find out at some point, but I'll work with my people at the Pentagon to ensure the news stays within a very tight circle. I'm currently in Germany right now talking with NATO. I'll make sure no one has their guns pointed at Genosha while you're there."_

"Guess that'll make it somewhat easier," sighed Betsy, still not feeling too good about this mission.

"But what if we _do_ run into someone who detected this activity?" asked Ororo.

" _Standard Mutant Monitoring Initiative protocols still apply. Arrest them where they stand, detain them if they don't surrender, and make sure you leave no trace of your activities. I'm not foolish enough to believe that we can keep this a secret for long. Just do what you can to buy us some time. Whenever Magneto is involved, time is our most valuable asset."_

Having made his orders clear, General Grimshaw turned off the communication link. His holographic image faded, leaving the X-men with a mission that was as daunting as it was volatile. They could already feel time slipping away. For all they knew, Magneto was already several steps ahead of them.

"I suppose this means I must cancel my weekly Skype chat with Katya," sighed Piotr.

"I'm sure she'll understand once you tell her Magneto's involved," Ororo consoled.

"I hope Warren is just as understanding," said Betsy, hugging her shoulders, "I feel bad just leaving him with only his father's people to care for him."

"Is that going to be a distraction, Betsy?" asked Captain Freeman in a serious tone.

"No…of course not," she said, trying to collect herself.

"We'll work on your lying skills later," said the Green Beret, "If we're going to run this operation, then we all need to remain focused. That's why you'll be tagging along, Xavier. I want McCoy here to stay behind and coordinate with the General to make sure this black up stays black."

"Understood, Captain," said Hank with a reaffirming nod, "Shall I get Sage involved as well? Her hacking skills would be most useful in a task such as this."

"No," said Captain Freeman sternly, "You heard the General. The number of people who know about this must remain small. That means you'll have to practice lying to your girlfriend if she calls."

"That…may be asking a bit much," said Hank warily, "Sage has been a trusted ally on numerous operations. Surely, we can…"

"We can't and we won't," said Captain Freeman strongly, which helped silence the team, "I know you're all still burned from the White Cell debacle. We're going to have to put it behind us at some point so it might as well be now. That means no going behind anyone's back and sticking to protocol. Is that clear?"

A tense silence soon followed. Jean, Hank, Ororo, Rogue, Remy, Betsy, and Piotr all stared down the mutant soldier with suspicion. Captain Freeman already seemed to forget that sticking to protocol was part of what led to the White Cell debacle. It was the same problem all over again. Against Magneto, it was a recipe for disaster. While they could have spent plenty of time reinforcing this point, Professor Xavier stepped in.

"It's clear, Captain. As clear as it needs to be," said Xavier in a mixed tone.

"It better be," said the Green Beret as he turned towards the exit, "Let's suit up and prep the blackbird. Once the General slips us under the radar, we launch. If anyone or anything gets in our way, we'll deal with it accordingly. But this time, let's not step on each other's toes. Let's not give Magneto more of an advantage than he already has."

* * *

 **Coast of Genosha – Black Tom's Yacht**

Black Tom Cassidy made a name for himself by taking huge risks. Dealing heavy arms was a hazardous trade to begin with. It forced aspiring businessmen to travel to exotic locales that no sane person would dare travel while dealing with people that no sane person would dare consort with. Black Tom considered himself plenty sane. He was just more ambitious than his competition. When confronted with an opportunity to take it, he never hesitated to take it. This was one that may be his biggest yet.

"This is as close as we can get," said the anxious captain of his yacht, "These waters are choppy and I don't think our signal jammers will maintain our cover much longer."

"Quit acting like you're about to have a stroke. They'll hold up. They better after what I paid for them," said Black Tom, maintaining a calm demeanor, "We're safer than you think. The naval blockade around this island is gone. Nearly every ship that was stationed here has been redeployed."

"Then why are we dropping anchor at one of the most hazardous parts of the coast?" asked the captain.

"Are your ears not working? I said _nearly_ every ship," said Black Tom, rolling his eyes, "There are still a few UN boats patrolling the waters. They tend not to come to these choppy parts of the coast. They don't get paid enough to take those kinds of risks."

"I hope it's more than you paid me for this."

"I promise you'll be very nicely compensated for your efforts. Your entire crew will once I've secured the merchandise."

"By _you_ don't you mean _me_?" said Frenzy, who was standing right next to Black Tom.

"I like to think our efforts will complement one another," said Black Tom, "They'll have to if we're to secure our reward."

Black Tom shot the captain of the yacht a stern glare, ensuring that he wouldn't defy orders. The captain nervously nodded and issued the command to drop the anchor. They were close to the coast and the waters were pretty rough due to large reefs in the area. The weather did little to put him or his crew at ease. Around an island like Genosha, the danger was always magnified.

Black Tom continued to ignore that danger as he led Frenzy out from the main deck and towards the starboard side of the vessel. The crew was already hard at work securing the ship, keeping an eye out for any disturbances. After the incident in Istanbul, everyone was on high alert.

It wasn't lost on Black Tom either. He was still fuming about his daughter being left behind. Since they had to maintain radio silence during the five-day trip to Genosha, he couldn't check in with her. He remained confident that she found a way to deal with the situation. If she managed to get into any trouble, he should be able to buy their way out of it once this deal was complete.

"Explain to me again what this _merchandise_ actually is, Mr. Cassidy," said Frenzy as she followed closely.

"Please, Frenzy…call me Black Tom. For what you've agreed to, we can afford to be a bit less formal," he said in a friendly tone.

"Whatever I call you, I think I have a right to know what we're stealing," she said, maintaining a tough tone, "I'm assuming it's rare and dangerous. It _has_ to be if it can only be found on a wasteland like Genosha."

"You're right on every account…except the last one," said Black Tom, "Genosha may have been abandoned, but it is hardly a wasteland. While it was still occupied, I did a lot of business smuggling Genosha technology from their ports. It was by far my most profitable venture. As such, I made a few friends on the island. They had some interesting stories about the kind of tools that Magneto developed, some of which weren't for sale."

"Sounds fancy," commented Frenzy, "How do you know they're still there?"

"Because unlike the governments of this world, I haven't been that eager to forget about Genosha," he replied, "Recently a few well-paid associates detected some new activity on the island. Based on past intelligence, I think I know the source. Magneto may have lost his mind, but he was competent enough to hide his secrets. That's where your strength and durability comes in. Hardware like this is difficult to handle, but with the right strategy it will fetch a handsome profit."

"How much of that profit can I expect to end up in my pockets?"

"More than the Frost sisters would have ever paid you. That, I'm sure of."

Frenzy scoffed to herself. It wasn't like the Frost sisters were going to pay her much to begin with. For all she knew, they were going to screw her over from the beginning. They were just too greedy. Black Tom wasn't much of an improvement, but he had gone through a lot of trouble to enlist her services. For the kind of money he was offering, it was just too great an opportunity to pass up.

"Take comfort in the knowledge that I need you more than you need me," added Black Tom as they reached the starboard side of the ship, "To locate this merchandise, we must traverse this radiation-soaked island and venture into the capital city. The source of the activity is within Magneto's citadel, which we can assume will still have plenty of hazards."

"Sounds like fun," said Frenzy, rolling her eyes, "How long will it take us to get there? You're not going to make me carry you, are you?"

"Oh come now, Frenzy. A man of my means prefers a more efficient means of travel," said Black Tom wryly.

As they looked out towards the rugged coast, Black Tom signaled some nearby crewmen. They moved with urgency and retrieved two large metal cases from the stern area. Several men had to work together in order to move two refrigerator-sized containers. Once they were in place, they proceeded to open them. They revealed advanced jet-packs. They looked like something that could only be found on the black market.

"Jet packs," said Frenzy with a grin, "I'm starting to like your style, Black Tom."

"The black market is a beautiful thing, my dear," said Black Tom with a confident grin, "Where logistics fail, ambition succeeds!"

Frenzy's enthusiasm for this mission was heightened as she and Black Tom strapped on the jet-packs. If this was what Black Tom could afford just to transport them, she could only imagine what he could afford to pay her once she secured the mysterious merchandise. Having been a loyal soldier for White Cell with little to show for it, she was overdue for a reward and was prepared to tear through anything that stood in her way.

* * *

 **Meanwhile**

"Looks like they're on the move," said Cyclops as he observed Black Tom's yacht through a pair of binoculars, "Black Tom and Frenzy just took off in a couple of jet packs."

"Jet packs? You sure you're still not hung-over, Cyclops?" asked Warpath as he stood by him with the rest of X-Force.

"It's Black Tom. Trust me vhen I say zhis isn't the most surprising vay he's traveled," muttered Nightcrawler.

"See for yourself," said Cyclops as he handed Warpath the binoculars, "As if it will stop you from making more hangover jokes."

"Ain't got anyone to blame but yourself, Cyke," Wolverine pointed out.

Cyclops did his best to hide his disgruntled demeanor and his wounded credibility. The view from atop a ridge looking over the Genosha coastline was hardly comfortable. It was even more uncomfortable for the others to see that he was right.

Warpath, Domino, Wolverine, Emma Frost, and Nightcrawler watched as two small rocket trails shot up from the deck of the yacht. They carried Black Tom and Frenzy swiftly over the coastline and towards the heart of the island. After Domino's mission in Istanbul, this situation was growing more volatile.

"Well I'll be damned. It's not first class, but it's still practical," commented Emma as she watched the two figures soar overhead.

"This steps up the time tables," said Domino, "I was hoping we could track them a bit longer. I sure would like to know why Black Tom is doing business in _this_ hell hole."

"Assume he's got a damn good reason and it involves shit that explodes," said Wolverine.

"Vith Black Tom, it's usually more elaborate," said Nightcrawler, speaking from experience, "My mother is already following up on some leads in Istanbul. She has even more reasons to work with."

"As many as you?" questioned Emma, "As soon as someone uttered the name Black Tom, you came running from your girlfriend's bedside as if your tail was on fire."

"Assume vhat you want, Emma. Ve can still assume zhat stopping Black Tom is in everybody's best interest," said Nightcrawler strongly.

"Does this guy always make you channel your inner Wolverine?" joked Warpath.

"More or less…mostly more," said the German mutant, "Now let's get moving. Zhe sooner we uncover zhis latest venture, zhe sooner ve can make sure he doesn't profit from it."

Nightcrawler was serious. Having played a large role in the destruction of the Azazel, Kurt never passed up an opportunity to play a part in Black Tom's destruction. When Domino returned from Istanbul, the revelation about Genosha wasn't half as disturbing as the revelation about Black Tom.

In a way, Nightcrawler's determination was needed because it helped compensate for Cyclops's recent problems. He was still _not_ at full strength. Doubts and the lingering effects of numerous hangovers had hurt the X-Force leader in numerous ways. He hid his lingering reservations under his usual focus. While the rest of the team followed Nightcrawler off the ridge, Wolverine lingered with Cyclops.

"You sure you're fully up to this, Summers?" he questioned, "Usually, you're the one who motivates the team. Not that Elf ain't doing a bad job, but you don't look like you're trying."

"I'm fine, Logan. Your concern is duly noted," said Cyclops dryly as he followed the others.

"Is it?" Wolverine questioned, "A few days ago, we had half the team helping you work off a hangover. I can still smell the puke on your breath. I can also see the doubt in your eyes, even if you think those shades of yours hides it."

"I'm not trying to hide it. I know I've been inching my way towards rock bottom lately."

"More like diving head first," made the feral mutant.

"I'm trying to avoid sinking that far, but I'm still _adjusting_ after what happened with Romulus."

"Adjusting? You sounded like you were damn near ready to gave up on X-Force, the X-men, and life in general," Wolverine reminded him.

"I was drunk. You don't say coherent things when you're drunk," retorted Cyclops, "You of all people should know that."

"Point taken, but I also know that a few nuggets of truth leak out when you're hammered. I'm still wondering just how much truth there was to those drunken musings of yours. It's worth beating you over the head with because you're the whole damn reason X-Force exists. If you're starting to doubt our mission, then how do you expect us to function?"

Wolverine put it in as harsh and as crass a manner he could. It helped get the message across to the beleaguered leader. Cyclops held his head low, recalling how horrible he felt after his hangover. He remembered all the doubts he expressed. They ran deep, stemming from the trauma of having lost control and hurt one of his best friends. They were more than just personal. They could potentially affect the whole team.

"The team is still my top concern, Wolverine. Doubts or no doubts, I'll still lead us through this mission," said Cyclops in a strong a tone as he could manage.

"I don't doubt you will, but what about the next mission? Or the one after that? Or the one that will end up being worse than what my old man did?"

"We'll take those missions as they come," said Cyclops as he walked out ahead of the former living weapon.

"Keep telling yourself that, bub. Sooner or later, you'll have to look at the big picture. And if those doubts of yours are still kicking your ass, then the rest of our asses are in big trouble."

* * *

 **Nova Roma – Curia Medical Chamber**

' _What am I doing to myself? I can control astronomical odds. I can make the impossible possible, but I can't stop putting myself in these no-win situations. Am I doing this to punish myself? Or is this just a way for all those odds I defy to get back at me?'_

Wanda Maximoff had mixed feelings every time she came into the Curia medical chamber. She had few reasons to be there in the first place. The primary reason was Kurt. He spent a lot of time in this area, especially after the White Cell mission. It was where his comatose girlfriend, Amanda Sefton, still resided.

Her condition hadn't changed much. Her mind and spirit were still locked in some sort of mystical limbo. Neither Shaman nor Margali expressed much hope of ever waking her up. It put a lot of strain on Kurt, some of which Wanda had come to share.

Standing alone, Wanda paced around Amanda's unconscious form. Margali and Shaman left moments ago, returning to their research in what little hope they had left for a treatment. It happened shortly before Kurt left for his mission on Genosha. It was a mission she was inclined to take part in, but X-Force convinced her to stay. In a wa,s she was glad. It allowed Wanda to confront this girl in a way that she had been avoiding.

"I know we've never met, Amanda. I assume you've had an internet connection at some point so I'm guessing you know a few things about me. Most of those things are probably related to my father," she said bitterly, "I know that doesn't make a good impression. I won't use my father as an excuse, but I hope you can look past him to understand where I'm coming from."

Wanda stopped pacing and glared towards the unconscious woman. There was no sign that she heard a single word. Wanda shook her head in frustration and sighed.

"Look at me…I'm talking to a girl in a coma," she mused, "If there's _any_ chance that you can hear me, then I hope that proves how serious I am. I can't keep hiding it. I've grown close to your _boyfriend_. I know he loves you and seeing you like this has been tearing him up inside, but…I can't help it. It's hard to _not_ love a man like him! He did something that nobody ever done. He's placed his faith in me. He stood up for me when I had no one around to trust me. He…held me when I was most vulnerable."

Wanda felt her emotions welling up. Her voice became strained as she turned away from the unconscious girl, unable to look at her anymore. She fought off tears and bitterness as she continued to reflect on what led her here.

"I don't know if he feels anything for me. For all I know, it's just pity for having been left behind. It may even be the loneliness of not having you around. My powers allow me to do so much, but they can't erase these feelings. I know at some point you're going to wake up. By then, who knows what your _condition_ will be? All I know is that Kurt loves you and it's tormenting him in ways he doesn't deserve. I can't help but resent you for that, but part of what makes Kurt such a wonderful man is his willingness to endure that kind of heartache. So I guess all I'm asking for is a little _understanding_."

The emotions continued to weigh on her as silence filled the room. It was foolish to expect a response. It was just as foolish to ask a comatose girl in the first place. However, Wanda needed to get this out. She had to confront Amanda regardless of her state.

Having said her peace, Wanda buried her face in her hands and sighed. She felt a little better after allowing herself to vent. Plenty of frustration still lingered. Sooner or later, she had to return to the conflict that her family created.

She couldn't hide on Nova Roma forever. Being with Kurt and helping X-Force had been good for her, but getting caught up in this emotional tug-of-war with Amanda wasn't helping. Whatever came of this was a matter of chance and for once it was the kind Wanda couldn't control.

"I should be on Genosha right now, helping X-Force track down Black Tom," she groaned, "I'm sorry if I'm making your coma worse, Amanda. If you're going to spite me, I won't blame you. I have enough problems without being in a coma. They're going to catch up with me eventually so let's not get caught in each other's crossfire. Deal?"

Wanda started walking towards the main entrance to the chamber. She had no intention of turning around and facing this comatose girl again. Then just as she reached the door, a familiar flash engulfed the room. Wanda quickly recognized the flash as belonging to Blink. She instinctively turned around, her hands glowing with hex energy.

"No…not now! This better not be another abduction stunt, Pietro!" she shouted.

Remaining on her guard, Wanda carefully scanned the room. The flash had long since faded. There was no sign of Pietro, Alex, or anyone else from the Brotherhood. She made it painfully clear to Pietro during their last encounter that she wasn't going to be dragged back into the Brotherhood.

As she was scanning the room, she noticed something near Amanda's chamber. It was a small, metallic package of sorts. She kept looking around to make sure that Pietro wasn't hiding somewhere. It looked like this was the only thing that came through the portal. It seemed a little excessive, having Blink form a portal just to send a package. Pietro was never one to waste time so she was very careful as she picked it up.

"What are you up to now, Pietro?" she said, "I just finished talking to a comatose girl. If you're not here, I won't keep talking to myself. I'll go as crazy as father."

Wanda carefully placed the package in the center of the room. On the likely chance that Pietro was foolish enough to attempt another abduction, she used her hex powers to open it. There was a special latch on the top. She slowly undid it before opening it. Nothing devious happened. Yet she remained cautious as she walked over and looked inside. As soon as she saw the contents, her eyes widened with shock.

"Oh my…could it be?" she gasped as she reached in and picked up the object, "Pietro, you uncanny fool. What have you done?"

* * *

 **Genosha – Ruins of Magneto's Citadel**

Like much of Genosha, Magneto's citadel was a shadow of its former infamy. Having been abandoned before the exodus, it remained the most imposing structure on the island. However, there wasn't much to impose on.

As Frenzy and Black Tom soared over the Genosha landscape, they watched large stretches of charred earth pass by. The areas where the Warlock bunkers had been looked like blackened creators. The area around these creators looked like it had been burned in a fire, cleansed of all life by the radiation. This deadly radiation soaked much of the island, but the area around the citadel remained safe. That didn't mean there weren't plenty of other dangers to contend with.

"So this is it? This is where Magneto ran the show," said Frenzy as they landed at the front entrance, "I gotta say it's not nearly as big as it looks on TV."

"Magneto's style was matched only by his ego," commented Black Tom as he removed his jet back, "Lucky for us, what we're after isn't on the top floor. According to our latest scans, the source of the activity is in the lower levels."

"Guess I'll have to sight-see some other time," shrugged Frenzy, "Doesn't look like anyone is home, but do you want me to ring the bell anyways?"

"You've already been so generous. Allow me."

With a sinister grin, Black Tom took out a specially-crafted cane that he had strapped to his jet pack. It was constructed of some exotic metals found only on the black market. With his powers, he unleashed a concentrated energy blast at the front door of the citadel. The blast packed a great deal of heat so it burned right through, leaving a nice smoldering opening for Frenzy to enter.

"Well if _that_ doesn't trigger an alarm, I think we're in the clear," said Frenzy as she approached the opening.

"Don't get too comfortable. The merchandise will have more than alarms guarding it," Black Tom warned.

"Already looking forward to it," said Frenzy as she cracked her knuckles, "You going to tell me what I should look for or am I supposed to play it by ear?"

"Here…this will help," said Black Tom as he tossed her a specially configured smart phone, "There's a program loaded on it that tracks the activity. Follow it closely and you'll recognize it when you see it."

"Still sounds too easy," said Frenzy as she caught the device, "Does this mean you won't be following me?"

"Unlike you, I'm not quite as durable," he replied, "Don't worry about me. I'll find plenty of ways to keep myself busy."

"And how can I be sure some of those ways don't involve screwing me over?"

Before Black Tom could answer, another voice chimed in from behind. In an all too familiar buff of sulfurous smoke, Nightcrawler and the rest of X-Force appeared.

"Allow me to answer, mind friend…you can't," said Nightcrawler, who immediately set his sights on Black Tom.

"You might be better off letting me shoot you," said Domino with two high-caliber pistols drawn, "Bullet wounds are more reliable than Black Tom."

"You again!" groaned Black Tom, "Don't you X-types have less obtrusive ways of wasting my time."

"Probably," shrugged Wolverine as he drew his claws, "But they ain't nearly as fun."

Black Tom stepped back, holding his staff up in a defensive manner. This was once instance where he wished he could have brought along reinforcements. He had little chance of fending off Nightcrawler, Wolverine, Cyclops, Warpath, Domino, and Emma Frost on his own. His only hope was to buy time.

"Frenzy! I suggest you run ahead of me," he called out, "Get to the basement and…"

"You think I was going to wait for you to tell me?" exclaimed Frenzy, already running full speed into the Citadel.

"Guess she's smarter than she looks," commented Warpath, "Should one of us go after her."

"No! We focus on Black Tom," said Cyclops with a hand on his visor.

"That will be your first mistake," yelled Black Tom.

Taking aim with his staff, he fired a concentrated blast towards X-Force. It wasn't meant to hit anyone. It was just meant to scramble them. In that split second, he turned around and started running after Frenzy. He didn't even make it to the opening he created. Nightcrawler appeared right in his path and drop kicked him.

"Umf!" grunted Black Tom as he fell flat on his back, dropping his staff in the process.

"Consider zhat your last mistake, Black Tom," said Nightcrawler angrily, "You're lucky my mother isn't here. She vouldn't be _nearly_ as gentle!"

"Don't rough him up too much, Nightcrawler. We need that disgusting mind of his in one piece so we can extract some answers," said Emma Frost as she and the rest of X-Force surrounded Black Tom.

"Make it quick, Frost," barked Wolverine, "I'd like to leave a few marks on this dirt-bag before he pulls one of his fancy escape stunts."

"Not before I've had my share, Wolverine," said Nightcrawler eagerly.

"Nobody's getting a share, X-Force!" came a voice from above, "If you're serious about making this guy pay for his crimes, you'll back away this instant."

X-Force looked up to see that they weren't the only ones looking to dish out some justice on Black Tom. Descending within a bubble of telekinesis was the last sight that X-Force wanted to see, short of Magneto showing up. It was the X-men and they arrived in full force. It was a confrontation they had both been avoiding since the onset of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. A clash was inevitable and the timing couldn't have been worse.

The X-men landed right outside the entrance that Black Tom blew open earlier. Captain Freeman and Professor Xavier took the lead. Phoenix, Storm, Beast, Gambit, Rogue, Colossus, and Psylocke remained behind them. They did not show any aggressive gestures. While officially they were enemies under this mission, they were still their friends and former teammates.

"No need to be so forceful, Captain Freeman. I sense they're here for similar reasons," said Professor Xavier in a reasonable tone.

"Professor Xavier…I would say it's nice to see you again, but now is _not_ the time to deal with this," said Cyclops in a conflicted tone.

"I agree completely, Cyclops. We're not here to fight," coaxed Professor Xavier.

"Although protocols dictate that we keep that option open, should it be necessary," added Beast.

"Are these the same protocols that have you graveling to politicians and throwing innocent mutants into my school as if it were a prison?" quipped Emma, who looked ready to fight.

"We'd rather not argue politics, Emma. You're already in a poor position. Officially, you should be in Boston running your school," said Phoenix, who wounded a bit more aggressive.

"Officially, no one is supposed to be on Genosha as well. That hasn't stopped you guys from showing up," noted Warpath.

"Quit playing word games!" barked Captain Freeman, "This isn't CSPAN. This is a black op. That means we're all bending the rules here. We can make this _much_ harder on us both so do everybody a favor and step back from the overly ambitious arms dealer!"

The air grew more tense as X-Force stared down the X-men. Plenty of conflicted feelings lingered on both sides. Cyclops avoided eye-contact with Phoenix, who kept gazing at him with worried eyes. Warpath and Storm exchanged glances, but resisted the urge to address one another. Even though Angel wasn't present, his role with the team affected Psylocke. In the midst of all the emotions, Cyclops gestured towards his team so they took a few steps back from Black Tom.

Watching the scene unfold, Black Tom was still catching his breath. Nightcrawler hit him so hard that he knocked the wind out of him. The arrival of the X-men seemed to work in his favor. It sufficiently distracted everyone so he could make his move.

"You spineless fools… _this_ is why I don't mess with politics," he said as he reached for his cane.

"You shouldn't mess with Mother Nature as well, Mr. Cassidy," said Storm menacingly.

Just as Black Tom was about to reach his cane, Storm summoned a flash of lightning from the thick clouds above. The bolt struck mere inches from his hand, forcing him to pull back and knocking the cane away in the process. It was enough to make Black Tom hold off pushing his luck any further.

"You can outrun justice, but I doubt you can outrun lightning," said Colossus.

"Can't say Ah was expecting Black Tom to show up," commented Rogue, "Does it count as a bonus?"

"If so, it's not a very good one," muttered Psylocke.

"He wasn't alone either," said Professor Xavier, "I sensed his associate enter the citadel moment's ago. Gambit, go in after her. Stop her before she exacerbates the activity we detected!"

"Guess we can't be having that," said Gambit, "Just don't be blowing each other up in the meantime."

The Cajun mutant ran full speed into the Citadel after Frenzy. Rogue and Psylocke covered him, taking a position near the entrance. As X-Force saw this, the mood between the teams quickly became more apprehensive.

"Ain't we gonna send someone in as well?" asked Wolverine, "Assuming you guys ain't gonna make us fight for it!"

"We're not going to fight you for anything, Wolverine," said Phoenix in a coaxing tone, "We're clearly here for similar reasons. There's no need to step on each other's toes."

"Yet here we are," quipped Domino, who refused to lower her guns, "Did you guys track Black Tom here as well? Or was it because of that _activity_ you mentioned?"

"You did not sense it as well?" asked Colossus.

"If we had, do you think we would have let Black Tom get _this_ far?" said Warpath, "You guys clearly know something we don't."

"And you know something we don't, so we're even," said Psylocke.

"I wouldn't say that," Captain Freeman pointed out as he stared down X-Force, "Keep in mind, only one of us has the authority to arrest the other."

"There's no need to exercise that authority, Captain," said Professor Xavier as he tried to get the Green Beret to stand down.

"Bear in mind, time is a factor for this mission," Beast reminded him, "It's in all our interests if we avoid needless combat."

"He's right," said Storm, "For something like this, we need to set the Mutant Monitoring Initiative aside. We can't do Magneto any favors."

"Magneto? Don't tell me _he's_ involved!" exclaimed Wolverine.

"We're at his old palace, Wolverine. What did you expect?" said Cyclops as he stepped forth on behalf of X-Force, "There's clearly more at work here than another one of Black Tom's shady deals."

"Zhat vas a given," said Nightcrawler, who didn't take his eyes off Black Tom, "If Magneto is involved, zhen it's vorse zhan shady."

"All the more reason to avoid fighting each other," Cyclops reasoned, "But in order to determine if that's even possible, I have just one question."

"Of course, Scott," said Xavier in a reasonable tone, "What do we need to do to ensure that the X-men can work with X-Force?"

Cyclops approached Professor Xavier and Captain Freeman, maintaining the fragile confidence that he was still rebuilding. He kept ignoring Phoenix's worried glance. It would only make him appear weaker. With only measured strength, he asked a question that would dictate his next move.

"Do you still believe you have control?" he asked, "Or at the very least, do you believe you can regain it?"

"What the hell kind of a question is that?" scoffed Captain Freeman.

"Captain please!" urged Beast, "Let's keep this civil!"

Cyclops stared down the Professor, just as he had the day he quit the X-men. Professor Xavier looked back at him, not showing nearly the confidence he had on that day. White Cell had done much to damage that confidence, but it was still intact. The Mutant Monitoring Initiative was taking shapes he never imagined. That didn't mean he was ready to give up on it.

"Yes…I still believe," said the Professor in a sincere tone.

"I see," said Cyclops flatly, "In that case, this _can't_ remain civil."

In a move that shocked both X-Force and the X-men, Cyclops adjusted his visor and fired a lone optic blast at Captain Freeman. His adaptive form absorbed the blast, but it still sent him flying.

"Arrrrgghhhhh!" exclaimed Captain Freeman.

"By stars and-umf!" grunted Beast as the Green Beret crashed into him.

Captain Freeman was knocked back a good twenty feet, taking Beast along for much of the ride. They landed at the shock feet of Rogue, Storm, Phoenix, Colossus, and Psylocke. He barely missed Professor Xavier, who even with telepathy was too surprised to react.

"X-Force! Secure Black Tom and retreat," yelled Cyclops as he rushed back to his team.

"Damn it, Cyke! What the hell are you doing?" exclaimed Wolverine.

"Belittle me later! Follow orders _now_!" barked the X-Force leader, "Emma, shield our minds. Nightcrawler, prepare to teleport."

"It's official, Scott. You're still hung over," groaned Emma, having no choice but to heed his order.

Everything happened so quickly. X-Force didn't have time to question Cyclops' decision-making. Wolverine, Warpath, Domino, Emma, and Nightcrawler moved as quickly as they could to surround Black Tom. The still wounded arms dealer was just as dazed as the X-men, but for very different reasons. His ambitious deal became secondary. Now he was fodder for this clash between the two teams.

The shock amongst the X-men quickly wore off. Much to their dismay, Cyclops made his decision. Now they had to make theirs. With a heavy heart, Professor Xavier gave a fateful order of his own.

"Damn it, Scott," he said under his breath, "Phoenix, wall off Black Tom!"

"You're _really_ going to play this game, Professor?" she questioned.

"It's our mission. We must!"

While Phoenix had her doubts about that mission, she did as the Professor ordered. Before X-Force could reach Black Tom, she put up a wall of telekinesis. That stopped X-Force cold in their tracks just as they were within a few feet of Black Tom.

"Oh hell! Jean, I hope you don't hate me for this," groaned Cyclops as he turned towards his right, "Warpath, get us through."

"She may not be the only one who hates you," said the Native American mutant.

The Apache warrior clenched his fists and slammed them against the telekinetic barrier as hard as he could. The resulting force caused Phoenix to groan in pain. With no Phoenix Force backing her up, it proved to be more strenuous than it should have.

"Ungh! He's been…working out," grunted Phoenix as she clutched her temples.

"So have Ah," said Rogue as she took to the air and flew right towards Warpath, "Hang in there, sugah. Ah got this!"

"Wait Rogue! Don't hurt him!" urged Storm.

"Don't worry, Storm. Ah'll be gentle."

Warpath was about to lay another blow into Phoenix's telekinetic shell. He was thwarted in mid-stride by Rogue as she struck him with the force of a flying battering ram. Warpath avoided being knocked on his back by grasping onto Rogue's arms and holding her in a tight grip. They avoided exchanging blows, but it was still a clear struggle.

"Ungh! _This_ is you being gentle?" grunted Warpath.

"If only Ah had a nickel for every time mah boyfriend said that," said Rogue as she wrestled under his grip.

"Hold onto her, Warpath! I'll take care of the barrier," said Cyclops as he adjusted his visor.

"No Scott!" yelled Xavier, "This has gone far enough!"

"He's not going to listen. Believe me, I know," grunted Phoenix as she reinforced her barrier.

"So do I," said Colossus, "Hold on, Jean. I will stop this."

Cyclops continued to defy his former teammates, ignoring the pleading looks of Phoenix and the urges of Professor Xavier. With little hesitation, he unleashed a forceful optic blast. Colossus managed to jump out in front of it and use his metal form to block it. He braced himself for the impact, digging his feet into the hard terrain. He was able to deflect the force, buying more time for the team to reason with their former leader.

"Listen to your friends, comrade," urged Colossus as he fought the punishing force, "We need not fight each other like this."

"I'm trying not to!" said Cyclops strongly, "You're leaving us with few choices."

"So are you," retorted the Russian, "We face a common threat. We can still work together!"

"If you guys really believe that, then I guess don't have to feel as guilty when I do _this_ ," said Domino as she stepped forth.

This time, without any orders from Cyclops, Domino raised her guns and fired a single bullet right at Colossus's face. It hit him right in eye. Even though he managed to close his eyelids in time, the impact still hurt the Russian mutant in a very disorienting way.

"Ahhhhhhhh!" exclaimed Colossus.

"Domino! What the fuck?" yelled Wolverine, forcing Domino to lower her guns before she got off another shot.

"What? It got him out of the way, didn't it?" she shrugged.

"You're going to wish it hadn't," grunted Psylocke as she formed two psionic blades.

"Betsy…" began the Professor.

"Don't bother, Charles. I think they've made their point," said Storm as she rushed to Colossus's aid.

Xavier could only watch as Psylocke attempted to match Cyclops's recklessness. She went right for Domino, who still had her guns drawn. She ended up slashing at them. Wolverine took the brunt of the attack, taking a nasty gash along his neck and shoulder. When Psylocke went in for another stab, the feral mutant drew his claws and deflected the attack. Domino was prepared to shoot again, but Wolverine got in her way.

"Enough with the shooting, Domino! You ain't helping!" grunted Wolverine.

"Since Warren isn't here to talk me down, I won't go easy on you," shouted Psylocke as she stabbed him right in the gut.

"Argh! That goes double for you, Bets," grunted Wolverine, who resisted the urge to slash her with his claws.

"I can still throw in a flesh wound or two!" said Domino as she raised her guns again.

"Save your bullets. Let's just get Black Tom!" said Cyclops as he set his sights back on the telekinetic barrier.

The X-leader was prepared to fire another optic blast. He placed his hand on his visor and was about to fire. Once again, he was thwarted. This time, it was by his own mentor. Professor Xavier didn't bother urging him with words anymore. Using his telepathy, he made sure Cyclops's arm was paralyzed so that he couldn't fire his blast. It was an uncomfortable feeling that Xavier took no pleasure in inducing.

"I know you'll hate me for this, Scott. I truly am sorry for this," said the Professor as he lightly clutched his temple.

"No! Not again!" grunted Cyclops, this feeling reminding him all too much of Romulus's control, "Emma, what's happening?"

"I'm trying to block the world's most powerful telepath. What did you expect?" exclaimed Emma as she clutched her head in discomfort.

"Errrr! Nightcrawler, see if you can…" the X-Force leader began.

"I can't, mien friend," said Nightcrawler in equal discomfort, "My brain is telling my body to move, but none of zhe signals are getting through."

"That's because I don't want either of us to run," said Xavier, who was steadily pushing back Emma's barriers, "Please Scott, don't make me do this."

Professor Xavier's psychic attacks quickly brought the battle to a halt. Warpath and Rogue broke their grapple. Wolverine and Psylocke reluctantly separated. Phoenix even let down her barrier surrounding Black Tom, who remained silent as he watched the ordeal play out. She rejoined Storm and Colossus, who was still clutching his eye. They stood next to Professor Xavier, remaining defensive while urging their former teammates to not make this any worse.

While the tension escalated, Captain Freeman and Beast arose from the blow they took earlier. Beast was still woozy, but the mutant soldier had adapted his body enough to absorb the most punishing parts of the blast. He was not quite as eager to be reasonable.

"Shake it off, McCoy. We need to end this," said Captain Freeman as he helped Beast back to his feet.

"That may not be an option, Captain. I doubt my ribs can't endure much _shaking_ ," groaned Beast as he clutched his lower torso.

"Keep them on a short leash, Xavier," said the Green Beret, ignoring Beast's complaints, "If they insist on pushing what little luck they have left, go ahead and knock them out."

"No Captain…I won't go that far," said Xavier strongly, "I've already crossed a line by telepathically attacking my former students. Don't make me cross another."

"Why not? I thought you would be used to crossing lines by now!" shouted Cyclops as he fought Xavier's telepathy.

"And you haven't?" questioned Phoenix, "You're not thinking clearly, Cyclops!"

"You may be half-right, Jeannie. But you're also half-wrong, by default," Wolverine pointed out, who kept his claws drawn.

"You're the ones making it necessary, X-Force. You're the ones that insist on being part of the problem rather than working on a solution," said Captain Freeman sternly.

"Your tone isn't helping, Captain," said Professor Xavier impatiently, "I would rather not hold my students like this."

"These aren't your students anymore, Professor. These are thick-headed punks who act like they're above the law. As far as I'm concerned, they're not much better than Black Tom," said the Green Beret as he approached Cyclops.

"Are such insults _really_ necessary?" said Black Tom dryly, which earned him a telekinetic shove back to the ground.

"Shut up!" barked Phoenix, "And Captain, I don't like where you're going with this."

"Neither do I," said Storm, "What line do you expect us to cross now?"

"I'm not expecting you to cross any. I'm expecting you to maintain the ones you drew when you agreed to the Mutant Monitoring Initiative," said Captain Freeman as he now stood face-to-face with Cyclops, "Someone needs to be held accountable. Someone needs to step aside and let the right people handle this mission."

Cyclops scolded the mutant soldier just as he scolded Professor Xavier. He was a man he once trusted. That trust had been overshadowed by the divisions imposed by the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. While he remained paralyzed, the rest of X-Force came to his aid.

Warpath, Wolverine, Domino, and Emma stood by their leader while Phoenix, Storm, Beast, Rogue, Psylocke, and Colossus stood by theirs. All eyes were on Captain Freeman, who was prepared to abandon any hope of peaceful cooperation.

"It's time we settle this," the Green Beret went on, "No more excuses. No more stunts. So how do you want to do this, X-Force? How is this going to end?"

* * *

 **Meanwhile – Citadel Basement**

Frenzy ran as fast as her legs would take her through the darkened labyrinth. Magneto's citadel was much more elaborate on the inside than it was on the outside. With little light and only Black Tom's tracker to go by, Frenzy used a flashlight to navigate lower levels.

She followed several flights of stairs and punched through two heavy doors to make her way to the source of the activity. Along the way she noticed a thick collection of cables running along the ceiling. Wherever she was heading, it clearly involved a lot of power.

"Where the hell is this thing?" groaned Frenzy impatiently as she looked at the tracker, "This thing says I'm close. I don't even know what that's supposed to mean."

She was now on what she figured to be the fourth sub-level. The cables got even thicker, leading to a series of circular hallways not unlike a small sports arena. Using her strength, she kicked through more heavy doors. Some were slightly rusted so they went down easily. Once she kicked down the final door, she confronted an ominous sight that answered most of her concerns.

"Whoa…guess that answers that," she said with widened eyes.

In the center of the circular area was an elaborate display that only Magneto could appreciate. It consisted of several rotating metal disks that were enclosed in a clear plastic globe. All the cables from the ceilings fed into a series of high tech components that lined the walls.

They all bore the distinct marks of Warlock technology yet they didn't appear to be active. These rotating disks seemed to be moving under their own power as if guided by another source. As Frenzy moved in closer, she saw that source in the center.

Looking down at her device, her suspicions were confirmed. The source of so much activity was in an area no larger than a beach ball. It was egg-shaped with a circular glass gap in the center. Within the center, she noticed it emitting a soft bluish light. It appeared to be gyrating erratically as if something from outside this chamber was influencing it.

"So _that's_ what Black Tom wants," she said as she put the tracker away, "Can't say he has good tastes, but who am I to argue?"

"You really wanna be _that_ disappointed, cherè?" came a voice from behind.

Frenzy turned around to see Gambit standing in front of her. He his bow staff drawn along with a couple of playing cards, each of which was already charged. He seemed to think he could stop her. She shook her head and scoffed at such a notion.

"Wow…you followed me all the way down here? Are you _that_ eager to get yourself killed?" questioned Frenzy.

"Are you this eager to help a fella like Black Tom?" quipped Gambit, "You be playing with house money if you be playing with him."

"I've already been cheated by one employer. I'm okay with cheating another," she said with a wry grin.

"Ain't no cheating in a game like this. You be doing yourself a favor if you fold now."

"I can take the hit. Question is…can you?"

Frenzy ignored Gambit's warnings and went right for the core. The Cajun mutant tried to stop her by throwing three charged guards into her path. She displayed both agility and durability as she avoided the first two and covered her face with her arms to power through the third. Gambit reached for more cards and went after her. In the process she punched through the plastic barrier, tearing an opening for her to enter. Gambit widened that opening by hitting it with another charged card.

As soon as he entered, Frenzy began scaling the rotating disks and making her way to the core. Showing off more acrobatics, she leapt from disk to disk. As she drew closer, she found herself partially levitated. It was as if the gravity weakened the closer she got to the device. It allowed her to jump higher and move in closer to the egg-shaped object.

"Don't do it, cherè! Magneto's old toys ain't something you wanna be playing with!" urged Gambit as he leapt atop one of the rotating disks.

"Says the man whose only toys are playing cards and sticks," quipped Frenzy.

"I can make them all go boom in a much bigger way if you ain't gonna listen. And in a place like this, Gambit would rather make that bet," said the Cajun as he charged up a full deck in preparation for another attack.

"Then allow me to save you the trouble."

Now on the last rotating disk, Frenzy used the low gravity to her advantage. Using the disk as a spring board, she pulled off another acrobatic flip so she could kick the disk off its axis while launching herself right at the core.

The disk quickly tumbled out from its stable rotation, flying right towards Gambit like an oversized coin. The Cajun had no choice but to put away his cards and leap to another disk, narrowly avoiding the impact and tumbling back towards the entrance. He tried to regain his composure. However, it was too late. Frenzy had reached the device.

"Alright you fancy gizmo," she said as she reached out for it, "I went through a lot of trouble just to get you so you better be…"

As soon as Frenzy placed her hands on it, she was silenced. Before she could even try to remove it, the clear area in the center erupted in a brilliant burst of bluish light. It quickly filled the whole chamber, causing the disks to spin more erratically. It also powered up the Warlock components along the walls.

"Whoa…this doesn't feel right," said Frenzy.

"Remy would love to say he told you so, but he would rather stay in one piece," said the Cajun as he sprinted for the exit.

While Gambit ran to escape the activity, the whole chamber began to shake. It was as if the device was just waiting for someone to touch it before it erupted with a life of its own. It surrounded Frenzy with a strange, exotic energy from which she couldn't escape. It was like a cocoon of pure light. As this cocoon solidified, the device started to move on its own. As it moved, it seemed to take the whole Citadel with it.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THIS THING! BLACK TOM, IF THIS IS YOU SCREWING ME OVER I SWEAR!"

Frenzy's angry outbursts were quickly muffled by the pulsating shell of light. She could do nothing but hold on at this point. Within seconds, the device didn't just move. It _launched_.

* * *

 **Outside The Citadel**

Captain Freeman continued to stare down Cyclops and the rest of X-Force. Wolverine, Domino, Nightcrawler, Warpath, and Emma Frost stood by their leader. Even though his recent actions called his mentality into question, he still maintained the same stubborn strength. They had to rely on that strength now more than ever.

Professor Xavier kept Cyclops from using his powers again to incur another fight. None of the X-men cared to endure any further clashes with their friends and former teammates. Captain Freeman wasn't going to let them back down. The tension escalated with every second that Cyclops delayed his answer.

"Is this what you're resorting to? The silent treatment?" scoffed Captain Freeman, "You're using soldier tricks against a soldier, Cyclops. It's not going to work!"

"Why not? There's nothing I can tell you that you'll accept," said Cyclops.

"Bullshit! I trusted you at a time when I could care less about the X-men. Now I'm part of their mission," the Green Beret pointed out, "What's so wrong with trusting us for a change? You don't have to keep breaking the damn law just to get back at your teacher."

"This has nothing to do with the law," retorted the X-Force leader.

"Then tell me how you think this is going to work out in your favor!" the mutant soldier demanded, "I can order Xavier right now to knock you and your team out with that mind of his. And under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, he's obligated to comply."

"Which is why I'm hoping it doesn't come to that," added the Professor as he stepped forth as well, "I don't mean to interrupt Captain Freeman's argument, but I implore you to make the right decision here, Cyclops. What do you expect us to do here?"

Cyclops went silent again. Captain Freeman was on the verge of telling Professor Xavier to knock all of X-Force out so they could arrest them. It was a move no one wanted to make at a time like this, but according to the Mutant Monitoring Initiative it had to be done. He was prepared to give the order when Cyclops's demeanor unexpectedly shifted along with the rest of X-Force. He then provided an unexpected answer.

"Right now, I expect you guys to turn around right now," said Cyclops in a very different tone.

"First the silent treatment now this? Seriously, you're running out of tricks, Cyclops," scoffed Captain Freeman.

"Uh…actually, it's not a trick," said Nightcrawler, who saw it as well.

"You know I don't agree with Cyke on much, but for once his sorry ass is right," barked Wolverine, "Turn the hell around already and you'll see what I…"

His point was made before he could even finish. While everyone was so focused on Cyclops and Captain Freeman, they didn't notice a glowing blue light emanating from the citadel. That light quickly grew and now the whole Citadel was shaking. It was so violent that it shook the ground around them. From the entrance made by Black Tom, Gambit came running out with an urgent warning.

"Back up, everybody!" he shouted, "Start running and don't look back!"

"What the bloody hell happened in there, Gambit?" exclaimed Psylocke.

"Black Tom's buddy pushed the wrong button. Another one of Magneto's gizmos is goin' haywire!" said the Cajun as the rest of the X-men started running.

"As if his gizmos do anything else," groaned Phoenix.

The debate between the X-men and X-Force was once again set aside. As the X-men started running, Professor Xavier released his hold on Cyclops. He, Wolverine, Domino, Warpath, Nightcrawler, and Emma Frost were already running full speed away from the Citadel.

As the blue light accelerated through the citadel, large chunks of the metal structure broke off. The large chunks fell to the ground as deadly debris. One particularly large chunks truck right where the X-men had been standing. More soon chunks were on their way, prompting both teams to move faster.

In the midst of this chaos, Black Tom arose. He was still sore from earlier, but now both teams were distracted. That meant he could make his escape. Upon retrieving his cane, he quickly grabbed his jet back and strapped it on.

"That must be the merchandise. Doesn't look like Frenzy will be able to share it," he muttered in disappointment, "Oh well, there will be other deals."

As the blue light reached the mid-point of the citadel, a much larger collection of chunks broke off. Black Tom managed to take off just before they struck. He quickly flew up over the X-men and X-Force while they were still running.

"Black Tom's getting away _again_!" shouted Nightcrawler.

"I knew we forgot something," groaned Emma Frost.

"At least one team ain't leaving empty handed," said Rogue as she took to the air, "Don't worry, little brother! Ah promise to rough him up for you!"

"Promises are meant to be broken," sneered Black Tom.

Rogue flew out ahead of the others, accelerating towards Black Tom. However, the long-time criminal had no intention of going with either team. Grasping his cane, Black Tom pulled off a daring spin-maneuver in mid-air. Just as Rogue closed in, he fired an energy blast from his cane. The blast was more intense than Rogue expected. Even with her durable form, it hit her so hard that she fell out of the air in a wounded heap.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" she cried out.

"Rogue!" exclaimed Gambit as he saw this.

"Zhat son-of-a-bitch!" seethed Nightcrawler as he stopped for a moment, "Zhere's no vay ve're letting him…"

"No Kurt! We need to keep moving!" urged Cyclops as he urged him along.

"But…"

"Rogue will be fine, Elf! I've seen her take worse," snarled Wolverine as he lingered back with Cyclops, "We gotta make a run for this one. Trust me! That dirt-bag will give you plenty of chances."

Nightcrawler groaned in frustration, but didn't stop running. Black Tom was a very personal enemy for his family. The thought of letting him go made him sick to his stomach. However, there was nothing he could do at this point. He was moving too fast and too high to teleport into his path. He would have to wait for another chance to avenge the damage this man had done to his family.

While X-Force was starting to break off from the X-men, others weren't as willing to let Black Tom get away. Even as smaller chunks of debris were starting to catch up with them, they saw plenty of non-personal reasons to not let Black Tom escape.

"There goes another lead, Professor. Are we going to let him get away?" said Captain Freeman angrily.

"He hasn't escaped yet, Captain," said Xavier as he turned back towards his X-men, "Gambit, you and Beast get to Rogue. Storm, try and bring him down gently. We need him unscathed!"

"No promises, Charles. But I'll do my best," said Storm, panting hard as she summoned her powers while running.

The gloomy clouds above them started to rumble with thunder and lightning. Black Tom sensed it. He was almost out of range. These X-teams weren't making it easy for him. In another daring maneuver, he turned around and flew in lower towards the X-men. He took aim with his cane again, this time aiming towards Storm.

"You flashed your lightning. Let me show you mine!" yelled Black Tom.

He prepared to fire another energy blast. Due to the approaching dust cloud from the crumbling citadel, it was hard to see him hovering above them. The X-men were mostly focused on the wounded Rogue. None were able to aid Storm as she stood in Black Tom's hairs. However, Warpath noticed it from up ahead. Despite Cyclops's clear orders, he found himself making a fateful decision.

"Storm…NOOO!" he yelled as he turned around and broke off from X-Force.

"Damn it, Warpath! Now is _not_ the time to impress your ex," exclaimed Emma.

The Native American mutant didn't listen. With little regard for himself or his team, he ran back towards Storm at full speed. Just as Black Tom fired his energy blast, he jumped out in front of her so that he took the full force of the blast. It started Storm while causing the X-men to stop just before they reached Rogue.

"Arrrrggghhhh!" Warpath exclaimed.

"James!" cried Storm, quickly halting her attack.

With Storm now sufficiently distracted, Black Tom was free to escape. It wasn't the target he was aiming for, but it did the trick.

"Not what I was hoping for, but I'll take it," he grinned as he accelerated towards the horizon.

As Black Tom disappeared into the distance, the X-men stopped running and prepared to take cover. Debris from the Citadel was still landing close buy and each impact was kicking up a large cloud of dust. Beast and Gambit covered Rogue while Professor Xavier and Captain Freeman rushed to Storm's aid. Psylocke, Phoenix, and Colossus followed closely with Phoenix using her telekinesis to guard them from the debris.

While the X-men prepared to endure the destruction, X-Force kept running. They eventually made it to an old intersection where they could still see the X-men. They could also see more chunks of the Citadel shooting out as the blue light ascended.

"Are we just going to leave him?" asked Domino anxiously.

"We don't have time to go back for him," said Cyclops, "Nightcrawler, get us out of here!"

"But ve'll come back for Warpath, right?" said the German mutant.

"That's assuming he wants us to," said Wolverine as he gazed back at Storm and Warpath, "Now quit wasting your breath and port us already!"

With the blue light nearly to the top of the Citadel, X-Force made their reluctant escape. Nightcrawler took a deep breath and teleported himself along with Cyclops, Emma, Wolverine, and Domino back to Nova Roma. The mission proved disastrous in way too many ways. They didn't just lose Black Tom and leave Warpath to the X-men. They may have lost their best chance to reconcile with the X-men.

Shortly after X-Force disappeared, the blue light reached the top of the citadel. From there, it shot off into the sky like a rocket. In doing so, it sent a shockwave through the structure that caused it to collapse.

As it crumbled in spectacular fashion, it sent out a wave of dust and debris. It quickly engulfed the area where the X-men had stopped. Phoenix managed to deflect most of it with her telekinesis. A few large chunks made it somewhat strenuous, but they remained relatively unscathed.

"Ungh! I hope that's the worst of it," groaned Phoenix, "How's Rogue? Is she alright?"

"She a bit medium-rare, if that's the proper term," said Beast as he and Gambit knelt beside Rogue, "But her durable physiology has once again done its job."

"Hnn…some job," groaned Rogue, her clothes and hair smoldering from the blast, "Ah'm gonna be sore tomorrow."

"You'll be okay, mon amour. You should be used to being sore by now," said Gambit with a light tease.

Rogue was too weak to swat her lover for such a remark so she managed a light smile. As the dust and debris settled around them, the attention turned to the citadel. Professor Xavier and Captain Freeman watched as the blue light soared high into the sky. It was clearly the source of the activity they detected. Now it escaped along with all the answers it might have held.

"This is not going to go over well with the General. I imagine he and President Kelly will have a long list of reasons to crucify us," mused Captain Freeman.

"You don't need to remind me, Captain. I suspect this isn't how Magneto wanted this to pan out," Xavier speculated.

"Is that a good or bad thing?" asked the Green Beret.

"I'm not sure, but I doubt this will be the last message he sends," said the Professor, "I used to play chess with Magneto. I know how he operates. He likes to put all his pieces in just the right position before he makes his move."

"I'm guessing that's a pretty important piece we're leaving behind."

"It may not be as important as we think. If nothing else, it's a clear sign that Magneto is ready for something big. We must be ready as well, no matter how upset the General or the President may be with us."

Captain Freeman let out a disgruntled sigh. Once again, they were falling behind. Magneto was putting his pieces together at a time when the world was extremely vulnerable. It was hard to imagine the damage he could do and equally difficult to surmise a way to stop it.

Once the blue light disappeared from view, the Green Beret turned back towards Storm. By now, Psylocke and Colossus had reached her. They were both standing over the unconscious form of James Proudstar. Despite the many ways this mission went wrong, there was still some success to build from.

"At least they won't be able to say we left empty handed," said Captain Freeman, "This is a worse blow to X-Force than it is to us. We have one of their own in custody. Even if he can't give us any answers, he's sure to put more pressure on his teammates."

"I hope you're not suggesting we use Warpath to extort my former students, Captain," said Professor Xavier apprehensively.

"Get used to the idea, Professor. When Magneto is involved, we'll probably end up crossing _more_ lines. We'll have to if we're to get through this in one piece."

* * *

 **Unknown Location**

Everything was a blur for Frenzy. The moment she laid her hands on the egg-shaped object in the Citadel, the world around her turned into a roller coaster ride from Hell. She knew she was moving. Time itself seemed to slow down around her. In every direction she saw nothing but blinding blue light. She couldn't see anything or even figure out which direction was up. All she could do was cling to the device.

"UGH! WHERE ARE THE BREAKS ON THIS DAMN THING?" she exclaimed.

Frenzy kept clinging to the device, searching in vain for anything that would stop it. The light from the center of the object pulsated more erratically, as if someone else was reaching out to it. Along with the light came higher speeds and more disorientation. It pushed Frenzy to her limits. She was on the verge of passing out when it finally stopped.

In an instant, she felt herself land on a hard surface. It took a moment for the feeling to sink in. Her head was still spinning, but she was back in a world of normal physics. As she opened her eyes, she saw that she was in a cave of sorts. She felt a cold wind sweep through, indicating she was in the mountains. She also noticed a shadow looming over her. That shadow revealed an imposing figure that every mutant knew all too well.

"Hmm…this is unexpected. I was hoping Charles Xavier would be the one to arrive with my magneto-gravitational core in hand," said Magneto in a flat tone.

"You…you're Magneto!" exclaimed Frenzy.

"It's nice to meet you too, Miss…" said the Master of Magnetism as he extended his hand.

"Sorry, but I don't give my name to known psychopaths," she said, refusing his gesture.

"I assure you my bout with psychosis is over," he told her, "I admit the Cambrian did a number on me. Now I see the world with much clearer eyes."

"Is that supposed to reassure me?"

"Give me a chance and I would be happy to explain everything," said Magneto.

Frenzy remained skeptical. She kept clinging to the object until Magneto used his powers to rip it from her grasp. She rose to her feet, maintaining a defensive posture.

She was under no illusions. Magneto was one of the most powerful mutants in the world. He could kill her in any number of ways. Yet he remained calm and stoic. It heightened Frenzy's curiosity. It wasn't like she had anywhere else to go either. Given her lack of options, she decided to hear what he man had to say.

"You're actually quite fortunate," he said, "I was just about to contact my son with the good news. You see, you held in your hand not just the key to a new age for our kind…you experienced first-hand the genesis of a new world."

* * *

 **Up next: Open Heart Perjury**


	20. Issue 168: Open Heart Perjury

**Issue #168  
Open Heart Perjury**

* * *

 _The human race has never been more vulnerable. Professor Xavier fought hard for peace and understanding in a world that hates and fears mutants. He forged a bold partnership with the governments of the world known as the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. In doing so he bitterly divided his own mutant team, the X-men. The strain of such divisions have never been greater and at a time when a new crisis is emerging from a dangerous old foe._

 _After the events of the Cambrian incident, Magneto disappeared without a trace. Then Charles Xavier received an ominous note from his old friend, which led him to the decimated island of Genosha. There his X-men encountered X-Force, a team led by the X-men's former leader, Cyclops._

 _In a clash sparked by the opportunistic Black Tom, a dormant relic from within Magneto's citadel was activated. This device along with former White Cell operative, Frenzy, disappeared in a spectacle that left both teams scrambling for answers._

 _The X-men have a lot to deal with. The world is still reeling after White Cell's attack on global defenses. Both President Kelly and General Grimshaw continue to frustrate his efforts. While he did not retrieve many clues from Genosha, his X-men managed to capture Warpath. They're hoping he can provide them some badly needed clues. In the meantime, X-Force is reeling in a way that may threaten their entire mission._

* * *

 **X-Force Base – Lounge**

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it all to freakin' hell!" yelled an enraged Logan as he knocked over anything that wasn't nailed down.

"Would you knock it off, Logan? Destroying our base is the exact _opposite_ of helpful," groaned Domino, who stayed out of his way.

"Never mind that I helped pay for some of it," said Emma Frost.

"Who gives a shit about equipment? We lost Black Tom, let Warpath get arrested, and found out Magneto is back! This team was supposed to make a point to the X-men and the rest of the damn world! The only point we're making is how fucked we are!"

Logan continued his angry rampage, knocking over tables and slashing computer equipment with his claws. He wasn't going to be stopped. He was frustrated by X-Force's current position. The mission on Genosha was more than just a failure. It was a wake-up call that X-Force couldn't ignore.

While Logan vented his anger, Scott dealt with defeat in less destructive ways. After returning to Nova Roma, they scrambled to find out what happened at the citadel. The spectacle they witnessed on Genosha was long gone. Black Tom didn't stick around so they couldn't press him for answers. Emma attempted a psychic scan for residual activity and Mystique tried following up some leads in Istanbul, but they found nothing. It left X-Force back at square one. Yet that wasn't what bothered Scott the most.

"I can't believe the Professor went through with it," mused Scott as he sat on a couch that was not in Logan's warpath, "I thought I saw genuine doubt in his eyes. I was hoping that the White Cell attack would make him take a closer look at the Mutant Monitoring Initiative."

"You're worried about _zhis_ vhile Logan is destroying our base?" asked Kurt, who sat next to his demoralized friend.

"I think the others sensed it," said Scott as if he hadn't even heard him, "They're worried about what's happening with the initiative, mutants, and how the X-men operate. They still trust Professor Xavier, but they don't trust the system anymore."

"I thought zhat's vhat ve vere trying to prove in zhe first place," said Kurt.

"And I was hoping that they would prove us wrong. After our clash with Romulus, I never wanted to be wrong about anything so much in my life. The problem is both sides can't be right, but both sides _can_ be wrong. Now we may have just crippled each other to a point where Magneto has the best possible advantage."

"I'm hoping your fatalism is a result of your recent alcohol consumption, Scott," said Emma as she and Domino gave up trying to stop Logan, "Are you saying that all the trust we placed in you when we joined X-Force was for nothing?"

"I'm sober now, Emma. I'm setting my self-loathing aside and reassessing our mission," said Scott, "We all trusted in what X-Force stood for. I'm not saying that trust was misplaced, but the circumstances have changed. The world has warped what both X-Force and the X-men stand for."

"So what does that mean for us? Are we going to quit and just let the X-men handle Magneto?" asked Domino.

"Quitting is never an option. No matter how much Romulus messed me up, I'll never stoop _that_ low," said Scott strongly, "However, we have to look beyond the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. If Magneto had a hand in what we saw on Genosha, then it's safe to assume he's planning something big."

"At a time when global defenses have been reduced by more than half, I'd say Romulus did him a favor," commented Domino, "We really have our work cut out for us."

"Speak for yourself," scoffed Emma, "Now that everyone knows I'm affiliated with X-Force, my school could be at risk. Seeing as how we're in no position to handle another crisis, I should be back with my students and prepare for the worst."

"Your students will be in greater danger if we leave this up to the X-men," argued Scott.

"Now _you're_ the psychic? Scott, I love you as much as any ex-girlfriend, but you're the one that recently admitted we're all dangerous. You essentially conceded that President Kelly's campaign slogan was right."

"I said that when I was drunk, Emma. People don't say coherent things when they're drunk. Just ask Logan."

"Fuck you, Summers!" exclaimed Wolverine as he threw some kitchen appliances across the room.

"Doesn't matter how coherent it is. Why should any of us be here if you doubt our mission?" asked Emma.

"I may have question my principles, but I've _never_ questioned our mission. And right now, it's more important than ever," said Scott as he rose up from the couch, "Remember what happened with White Cell? The X-men couldn't respond because they weren't _allowed_ to. Because of that, Romulus crippled major defense force on the planet. He could have done much worse if he wanted to."

"Doesn't zhat prove you right?" asked Kurt, "You said you told zhe Professor zhat zhere vould come a day vhen his initiative vould cause bigger problems zhan it solved."

"Even so, Professor Xavier still thinks he can control the situation. That's why I fired the first shot after he answered my question. _That's_ how I know that something will go horribly wrong if we leave Magneto to the X-men. Even with Warren being wounded and Warpath being arrested, we're still a team with a mission. We need to do what the X-men won't."

It left X-Force in an unenviable position. Emma, Domino, and Kurt joined this team for different reasons. None involved going up against Magneto when they were so depleted. Scott might have been scarred from what Romulus did to him, but he saw the threat posed by Magneto. he saw that Charles Xavier wasn't in a position to confront him.

After what happened with White Cell, it was easy to imagine the authorities forcing the Professor to make the wrong decision. Against someone like Magneto, that was the difference between partial destruction and total destruction. That unsettling feeling left the team dazed and anxious. A lot was riding on their shoulders and a threat from Magneto seemed too great for them to handle.

"I'll say it again. We're screwed!" said Logan, who seemed to tire himself out.

"Are you now suggesting we quit, Logan?" asked Domino, "Because I'd rather you destroy someone else's base if you are."

"I'm still here, ain't I?" he pointed out in disgruntled tone, "Joining X-Force has already had me agreeing with Summers in ways I ain't comfortable with. Leaving Magneto to the others while we tuck our tail between our legs just ain't gonna work."

"So you're still on board with X-Force's mission?" asked Cyclops.

"What mission?" he scoffed as he reached for a bottle of liquor, "I'm all for roughing up Magneto, but we don't know shit. We didn't find out what Black Tom wanted to steal. We didn't find out what Chuck and the others knew. You want to go up against Buckethead again? Fine! I'm all for it. That doesn't change the fact that we don't have the slightest clue what he's up to!"

"You don't, but I do," came a new voice.

Scott, Logan, Kurt, Domino, and Emma all turned towards the main doors to the lounge to see Wanda standing in the doorway. She had a dire expression on her face and she was holding what looked like a snow globe in her hand. Being Magneto's daughter, she was in the best position to know what her father was up to.

"Vanda?" asked Kurt as he got up from the couch.

"You know what Magneto is planning? How long were you gonna keep this tidbit from us?" yelled Logan apprehensively.

"I just found out thanks to my brother," she said in a low tone, "I was hoping it would never come to this. Either he's still crazy or he's extra desperate."

"What are you talking about, Wanda?" asked Cyclops intently.

Wanda tried to hide her saddened expression as she showed them the snow globe she was holding. Inside was an intricately detailed model of what looked like another Earth. It represented a plan that Wanda thought was too extreme even by his standards.

"While he was ruling Genosha, he described it to me as his final backup plan for mutant salvation," said Wanda, "He had many names for it. The one he preferred was Asteroid M. It wasn't just a homeland where mutants dominated. It was an entire world."

* * *

 **Savage Land – Warlock Bunker**

"How much longer, Pietro? You better not be screwing with us!"

"We've been hiding in this death trap for too long. I'm ready for an upgrade."

"If something doesn't happen in ten minutes, I'm taking my chances with the MSA."

The impatient complaining from what was left of Genosha's mutant citizenry was wearing on Pietro's nerves. He coordinated with every mutant that was still living in Genosha's Warlock bunkers. Of the mutants that once forged a nation, only 198 were left.

Most remained scattered in bunkers all over the world. A number had left, choosing to take their chances with the Mutant Monitoring Initiative rather than stay united. They needed another unifying moment that would empower their kind. That was what Pietro and the rest of the Brotherhood hoped to provide.

Every mutant within their bunker had crowded around a special area that Pietro helped set up. He worked with Blob, Pyro, Quentin, Alex, Mellencamp, and Unus to construct an array of special antennas using Warlock components. Aiding them in the construction was Dr. Edgar Wyndham.

He was the one that set this into motion from the beginning. He was also the one that had been hard at work reconfiguring their Warlock technology. They had placed a lot of trust in this man and while he delivered much of what he promised, some still had reason to be suspicious.

"You sure we can't speed this up, doc?" asked Pietro, "Our people are getting restless and they look like they want to take it out on us."

"I'm getting similar reports from our other colonies," said Alex, "I thought you said he retrieved that gizmo from the citadel."

"He did. He has everything he needs on his end," assured Dr. Wyndham as he made a few final adjustments, "Unfortunately, there was a mishap. He was hoping to bring a very special guest with him, but it appears he ended up with someone else."

"Are they gonna cause problems? If so, I can soften them up," said Blob as he drove the base of the antenna into the ground with his strength.

"That won't be necessary, Mr. Dukes. I've made sure there will be no obstructions," he said confidently.

"Not that I'm questioning your IQ or this _cosmic awareness_ ability that you've never fully explained, but we've heard that before. Being that overconfident rarely ends well," Alex pointed out.

"It's not overconfidence. It's merely understanding the details enough to surmise the effects. I could spend a great deal of time describing the intricacies of what I experience that few others dare to imagine. I just prefer to use my time more wisely."

"That makes two of us," said Pietro as he ran by at high speeds, hooking up all the main cables, "Will you give it a rest, Alex? This guy taught my father. If it weren't for him, we wouldn't have a plan. We would just be lounging around picking up dinosaur shit. You saw what he did with Vargas. I think he's earned _some_ credibility."

"It's more than enough for me, mate," shrugged Pyro, "Now will you quit being a wanker and give me a hand with this?"

Alex scolded Pyro for being so trusting. Then again Pyro was mentally unstable so he didn't bother arguing with him. He still cast a suspicious glance towards Dr. Wyndham, who just kept working the Warlock controls.

It was hard to read him because he had these strange eyes that glowed with a distinct purplish hue. He said that it was because his eyes could see beyond the thin veil of reality. Alex didn't think that was all he saw. This man made some lofty claims, some of which he had already delivered. Others, however, remained to be seen.

"I believe that's the last of the converters," said Mellencamp, who was working alongside Pyro.

"The antennas looks good as well," said Unus, who helped Blob align it, "If that's what this thing even is."

"I'd give you a more technical description, but that would require more syllables than you're capable of processing."

"What's that supposed to mean?" said Unus angrily.

"Don't start with him, big man. He's in one of his zones again," said Pietro, running out ahead of Unus to keep him from delaying this any further, "Just make sure everything is hooked up."

"Near as I can tell, everything's online," sighed Alex, who hid his lingering skepticism.

"Looks like our buddies at the rest of the colonies are hooked in as well," reported Quentin from one of the consoles, "Can Blink finally stop making so many trips because I think she's ready to kill someone."

"Tell her to remain where she is. I've just confirmed that we're ready to begin!" said Dr. Wyndham, his purple eyes glowing with more intensity.

Without warning the Brotherhood or telling the other mutants to stand back, Dr. Wyndham activated the controls. That caused power to flow from the bunker's main generators and into the cables. They filled the antenna with a vast amount of power, causing it to illuminate in a yellowish glow. Much to the surprise and annoyance of the Brotherhood, it triggered sparks that spread throughout the bunker.

"Ow!" exclaimed Blob as some of the sparks hit him in the face, "Were you gonna warn us, doc? Or are you just being an asshole?"

"Whoa…talk about flashy," said Pyro as he looked at the antenna in a daze.

"Um…why is the bunker shaking?" asked Quentin.

"That's supposed to happen…isn't it?" asked Pietro, trying to sound confident.

"Relax, my friends. We're not even at the best part yet," said Dr. Wyndham gleefully.

Dr. Wyndham entered a few more commands. Within moments, the shaking became more violent. It became so violent that nearly everyone inside couldn't keep their balance. Pietro, Alex, Blob, Pyro, Quentin, Mellencamp, and Unus quickly ran away from the antenna. They met up with the rest of the mutants from the bunker, whose impatience had long since faded.

"Please tell me this guy isn't as crazy as he sounds, Pietro," said one older mutant.

"He's not crazy. No more than the rest of us," said Pietro, starting to get a little nauseous.

"That ain't too comforting, mate," said Pyro.

"That's it! I'm taking my chances with a T-Rex," said a young mutant woman.

"It's too late. It's working perfectly!" proclaimed Dr. Wyndham, "The other colonies are reporting full resonance. We're ready for liftoff!"

"Liftoff?" exclaimed Alex, "I thought you said…"

The Brotherhood leader never got a chance to finish. As the shaking reached its peak, every piece of Warlock hardware erupted with a yellowish light. Time soon became blurred as the Brotherhood and the rest of the 198 former citizens of Genosha were transported into the unknown.

* * *

 **Andrew's Air Force Base**

James Proudstar had made many sacrifices as a warrior. Not long ago, he was more an arrogant thug than a genuine warrior. Working with the Academy of Tomorrow, joining X-Force, and the recent death of his brother helped remind him what a true warrior stands for. His father once told him that great warriors make great sacrifices. For much of his life he refused to make such sacrifices. That changed in a big way with X-Force and in a much bigger way with his most recent sacrifice.

' _John, I know your spirit is out there. I'm sure you're laughing your ass off right now. When you catch your breath, I hope you take some time to realize what I just did. You always called me a selfish bastard for putting myself before everyone else. And you know what? You were right. That's why I've gone out of my way to prove you wrong. I just wish you were there to see it. I know you would be proud of me.'_

The Native American mutant smiled in a surreal sense of peace. It was remarkable he could feel any sort of peace in a place like this. As soon as he woke up from the blow inflicted by Black Tom, he discovered he was in MSA custody with a power inhibiting collar around his neck.

The X-men had taken him back to the United States where he was kept in special mutant holding cell. The MSA were originally going to label him an enemy combatant. Professor Xavier convinced General Grimshaw to try him as an American citizen involved with obstruction of justice, conspiring against the United States government, and undermining the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. He faced some serious penalties, yet that didn't bother him in the slightest.

Lying back on his stiff bed and crammed containment cell, James continued to reflect on what he did and what it meant for him. He almost forgot about all the lawyers and MSA agents that kept questioning him. That peace and quiet was eventually disrupted when his heavy cell door opened to reveal a welcomed visitor.

"James…do you care to talk?" asked a distant Ororo Munroe as she entered the cell.

"With lawyers and government types? Hell no!" he answered, still lying on his bed, "With you? Can't think of anyone I'd rather talk to. I knew it was only a matter of time before you paid a visit."

"You took a lethal blast for me, James. How could I not?"

"You almost sound confused."

"I'm just…at a loss," said Ororo in a serious tone as she stood by James's bed, "You and I put our feelings on hold after the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. We sacrificed personal gains for something greater than ourselves. Yet in an instant you threw those gains away just to save me."

"Wasn't like either of us were gaining much," shrugged James, still lying on his back, "Tell me, how is the Mutant Monitoring Initiative working for you lately? If it's as bad the state X-Force is in, I'd say we got dick for our sacrifice."

"Forget about the sides we took, James. You don't lay your life on the line for another unless it means something. I didn't know how much meaning there was between us beforehand. Apparently, it's much deeper than I thought."

Ororo's voice grew strained with emotion. James finally rose up from his bed, allowing Ororo to sit down next to him. He did his best to hide his own emotions. There was no denying that those feelings drove him to do what he did. Taking that blast was the easy part. Making sense of it would be much more difficult.

"Ororo, I'm not going to make excuses for what I did," said James.

"I wasn't expecting you to, James."

"But you're still looking for a reason and therein lies the problem. I had no reason to throw myself in front of you. I just did my whole team a huge disservice. I got myself arrested. I'm being charged with crimes that could put me in prison for a long time if certain people have their way."

"The Professor won't let that happen," said Ororo strongly, shuttering at such a thought, "He's been meeting with some lawyers and Congressmen. They're going to try and frame your case as a form of civil disobedience."

"You think I give a damn about what they charge me with?" he scoffed.

"You should, James. I don't want you to do this to yourself. Not if it's just for me," said Ororo with tears forming in her eyes.

"Well it's too late now because I did it. And you know what? I would do it again in a heartbeat," said James as he reached over and took her hand in his.

Ororo resisted his touch at first, but found herself unable to turn away. She tried hiding her tears. James gently cupped her chin and turned her gaze towards his. She saw in his eyes the heart of a true warrior. She also saw in them a level of emotion that she hadn't seen since his brother died.

"I'm an Apache warrior, Ororo. I'll make whatever sacrifice I have to make," he told her, "When battles like the one between the X-men and X-Force have no resolution, we're only left with the battles in our hearts. And like it or not, you have a big place in my heart."

"Big enough to risk your life for?" she questioned.

"Without a doubt," said the Apache warrior confidently, "Does that worry you?"

"In a number of ways…yes."

"Why should it? You wouldn't be sitting with me in a prison cell if you didn't share these feelings. Are you going to look me in the eye and tell me there aren't greater forces at work here?"

Ororo remained paralyzed by emotion. She found her face drifting closer to James, who pulled her into his embrace. Her world started spinning as a surge of warmth emerged from within. But before she could fully immerse herself in his grasp, she swallowed her emotions and turned away.

"It's not that, James," she said in a strained voice, "The problem is that I _do_ share those feelings. You throwing yourself in front of that blast just reminded me in a way I wasn't prepared for."

"So then why are you avoiding it?" he asked intently.

"It's just…not a good time."

"Well I wasn't going to get too _conjugal_ if that's what you were thinking," assured James with a touch of humor.

"I'm afraid it's less lurid than that. There's actually another reason I came to visit you, James…one that involves a different set of emotions."

"What is it? Did something else go horribly wrong while I've been counting bugs in here?" asked the Apache warrior more seriously.

"That would be an incredible understatement," said Ororo in a sad tone, already standing near the cell door.

Now James started sharing some of those different emotions. He stood up from his bed and approached her from behind. He could tell she still had tears in her eyes without even looking at her.

"In some ways you're the lucky one. The General suspected that X-Force knew more about Magneto than the X-men. Now that doesn't seem to matter anymore. Magneto has made his presence known. That activity we saw on Genosha has repeated itself in remote areas all over the world. A few hours ago, Hank was able to trace the path of each signature to a single location."

"Where? You guys are already planning to attack him, aren't you?" said James, "Ororo, I shouldn't have to list all the reasons why that's an _insanely_ terrible idea."

"You wouldn't be the first one to point that out. Luckily or unluckily, depending on how you look at it, an attack may not happen," said Ororo in a low tone.

"What do you mean?"

"That single location is in space," she said grimly, "It's actually in the same asteroid Magneto tried to use to destroy the world."

James Proudstar's eyes widened. That was a new extreme even for Magneto. Given his history of madness, there were many ways it could unleash destruction. It was a given that the X-men would be on the front lines and that meant Storm would be in danger.

"Wow…that's a new one on me," he said distantly.

"We're all trying to make sense of it," Ororo went on, "After what happened with White Cell, our options are limited. The President is already scheduling emergency meetings with other world leaders. The prevailing sentiment is that they'll resort to extremes and they'll expect the X-men to carry them out."

"But you're not going to, are you?"

"If we don't, we risk making a bad situation much worse. That's why I wanted to visit you, James. Because this may be our last chance before we're forced into a battle where we cannot save one another. I wish we had more time. We could have created something beautiful together. We just…"

Ororo couldn't finish. It was too difficult at this point. Channeling all the strength that Mother Nature could grant her, she restrained her emotions from further outcry. Then in a gesture that caught James by surprised, she turned around and kissed him passionately on the lips. It was the most passionate gesture they had shared to this point. Desperation only made it more meaningful. James tried to savor it, but Ororo pulled away all too quickly.

"Wish us luck, James," she said, "And thank you…for saving my life."

James didn't say a word. He just watched as Ororo walked out of his cell. Mixed emotions turned to dread as the specially reinforced door closed behind her. His cell started to feel like a real prison now. The woman he loved was about to get caught in the crossfire of another madman and there was nothing he could do about it.

' _Great warriors make great sacrifices indeed. Now I know you're not laughing anymore John. I make one sacrifice only to make another necessary. Of all the times for Magneto to go on another power trip! If this is a test of spirit, I'm already failing.'_

* * *

 **Unknown Location**

"Ugh…I feel sick to my stomach," groaned a dazed Blob.

"Never thought I'd hear you say _that_ ," said an equally dazed Pietro Maximoff.

"Is it over yet? Can I open my eyes," said Quentin, who was still lying face down.

"Uh…you might want to keep them closed. It depends on how freaked out you want to be," said Alex Summers, who was already conscious and fully alert.

Alex Summers was the first to stand up and take in their new surroundings. The bizarre trip that started in the Savage Land was over in a matter of seconds, yet it felt like a lifetime. Now the Brotherhood and the mutants from their Warlock colony found themselves in a very different setting. Alex also noticed that it wasn't just their colony that had made the trip. Looking around, he saw that all 198 ex-citizens of Genosha had been transported as well

They were now on what looked like a mountain-top overlooking a lush valley. It looked like an image from a postcard. The valley was vast, covering miles of forest, grasslands, and plains. There was also a large river flowing through it. The water seemed to sparkle under the clear blue skies.

However, it wasn't a normal blue sky by any stretch. Looking up, Alex saw that the sky was littered with stars and auroras. There was no single sun illuminating everything. There were many sources of radiance, making the whole area feel pristine and inviting.

Such a sight quickly captivated the Brotherhood. Alex, Blob, Pyro, Quentin, Mellencamp, and Unus gathered at the ledge of mountain summit. Blink and Scanner joined them, who had been in another colony during the trip. The rest of the 198 quickly emerged from their daze as they looked around in complete awe.

"Wow…it's beautiful!" exclaimed a young mutant girl.

"What exactly is _it_?" asked middle-aged mutant man.

"Moreover, where is _it_? I'd like to know so I can make this my favorite vacation spot!" said another young mutant with gray skin.

"Is this part of that bold new plan you told us about, Pietro?" asked another tall mutant with yellowish skin, "If so, I'm sorry I doubted you!"

"I'm sorry I doubted me too," said Pietro with a wide grin, "I knew my father was going to pull out all the stops. I had no idea it would be _this_ awesome."

The hopes and spirits of the former citizens of Genosha had been rejuvenated. They seemed eager to forget the conditions they came from. It was definitely an upgrade, wherever it was.

While renewed optimism was welcomed, Alex Summers was still cautious. Pietro and Dr. Wyndham convinced everyone there was still a plan. This plan was supposedly a universal backup plan that Magneto had in place before he disappeared. He expected it to be grand, but not like this.

"We're all impressed, Pietro. But I think you owe us an extremely detailed explanation," said Alex more seriously as everyone admired the view.

"I already told you everything I could remember," said the speedster, "If I recall, _you_ were the one that came to _me_ when we ended up in the Savage Land. _You_ saw our people leaving. _You_ were desperate for a plan."

"Rubbing it in my face doesn't make it less necessary," he retorted.

"I know. It's just fun!" grinned Pietro, feeling vindicated after all the doubts surrounding his efforts, "My father never revealed all the details of his plan. But he told me that if Genosha failed and he fell in the process, there was an emergency plan in place."

"If this was the emergency plan, we should've done it sooner," said Blink, "It would have been much easier than just hanging out in bunkers hoping no one would find us."

"You're probably right, Blink. But Dr. Wyndham said it was a last resort. My father didn't want to go this far unless it was absolutely necessary."

"Well I would say this qualifies," said Alex, "Where is Dr. Wyndham anyways? Why the hell didn't he get us here sooner? And why did he have us go through the trouble of stealing MGH and getting that Vargas guy for his experiments?"

Pietro rolled his eyes. Why couldn't he just admire their new surroundings like everyone else? He was about to respond when a series of shadows passed over them, followed by a deafening screech.

Pietro, Alex, and the rest of the 198 looked up to see a flock of large, winged creatures that looked like a cross between a bat and a falcon. They flew over the summit of the mountain, causing many mutants to set aside their awe and ponder some of Alex's burning questions.

"Whoa...I'm getting a very Avatar feeling here," said Quentin.

"Should we smoke 'em? I didn't come here to be someone's lunch," said Pyro as he readied his flame-throwers.

"No Pyro! Look!" yelled Unus as he diverted the Australian mutant's arm and pointed up to one of the creatures.

Everyone else soon saw what Unus was pointing at. As the flock of creatures flew by, one in particular broke off and flew down towards the summit. The creature had two distinct figures on his back. They recognized one as Dr. Wyndham, who appeared to be the one guiding the creature. The other was a familiar figure they didn't expect to see, but probably should have.

"Father...I knew you couldn't stay hidden for this," exclaimed Pietro.

"Should we be worried?" questioned Blob.

"There is no need for worry here, my brothers and sisters. For you are now home!" proclaimed Magneto as the creature landed a few dozen feet from the bewildered mutants, "It is with bittersweet pride that I welcome you to Asteroid M."

"Asteroid M? Why do you call it that?" asked Scanner.

"It's nothing dubious, I assure you," said Dr. Wyndham, "But if you look up, I think you'll see why it's appropriate."

The Brotherhood and the rest of Genosha's former citizens did as he suggested. In doing so, they found a completely new reason to be in awe. The elaborate array of stars and auroras that made for such a beautiful sky faded momentarily. It revealed that this picturesque place was more exotic than they expected.

It was so exotic it wasn't even on Earth. It was a vast space station. Through the faded sky they could see a large image of the Earth. It helped reinforced what Magneto said. This truly was a new world.

"Dude...we're in space," said Quentin.

"I'll say it again. Should we be worried?" repeated Blob.

"Only for those who have yet to join us," said Magneto as he approached his bewildered mutant brethren, "This magnificent world has been many failures in the making. Follow me and you'll see why Asteroid M is the best and _last_ hope for our kind."

* * *

 **Washington DC - Liberty Bar and Restaurant**

Jean Grey acquired her share of scars over the years. Some festered more than others, but part of what made X-men strong was the ability to heal in time for the next mission. The ones she incurred on Genosha were different. They were the kind of scars that ran much deeper, calling into question everything she had fought for.

With tensions escalating over the prospect of Magneto's return, Jean took the same advice as Ororo. She slipped away from the Xavier Institute to gather her thoughts. For the first time, she stood against X-Force. She fought a team that contained friends, allies, and the man she loved. In the end neither side could claim victory, but she was left feeling sick to her stomach.

In her confusion she made a call to someone who might offer some objective insights. She waited for him in a corner booth at Liberty Bar and Restaurant, trying hard to not to torment herself in the meantime.

"I came as soon as I could, Jean," said the understanding voice of Shiro Yoshida, "I hope I arrived before the bitterness sets in."

"I'm afraid you're late by a day or two. I've been telekinetically crushing peanuts for the last half-hour," said Jean as she greeted the Japanese man with her saddened eyes.

"I'll work around it," he said as he sat down next to her, "Luckily, I was already summoned to Washington. Apparently, they have some questions about Emma Frost and how she can be in X-Force while still running the Academy of Tomorrow."

"That sounds pretty messy. How have you been managing that anyways?"

"I'd rather not burden you with my secrets. I'm here to share your own burden. Now tell me, Jean…why have you called me here?"

Jean looked down at the table. She had next to her a pile of peanut shells and a half-empty cocktail. Looking around at the crowded restaurant, she sensed the normal thoughts from normal people that had no idea the kind of danger that was upon them. It reminded her of just how abnormal her problems were, both personally and as an X-man.

"I realized something recently, Shiro…something I should have realized long ago," she mused, "There's no room for heart in these missions anymore. Everything is so cold and calculated. You have to leave every emotion at the door except fear. _That's_ the only emotion anyone seems to understand."

"I see," said Shiro, "And what has led you to this distressing conclusion?"

"I recently went on a mission that required me to fight the man I loved and some of my closest friends. I sensed in them a kind of fear that X-men are supposed to overcome. Scott's mind was…damaged. Logan, Kurt, and even Emma…they were no longer thinking about the big picture. They were acting on fear and uncertainty."

"Given what I've been told about X-Force, that's understandable."

"What you've been told and what you sense are two different concepts. But that still wasn't the most disturbing revelation. What really struck me was that I sensed those same feelings in the X-men."

"So two teams that are supposed to be opposing one another are sharing the same fears? You're right, that _is_ distressing."

"It's more than just distressing. It's _tearing_ at my heart! I honestly don't know how I'm supposed to deal with this. It's one thing to take a side and fight for it. Now I'm not sure there's a side to take anymore. We're not fighting for something bigger. We're just fighting. It's hurting the people we care about and it's only going to hurt many more."

Jean's emotions were getting the better of her. As she grew more distressed some of the peanuts in front of her shattered violently under her telekinetic strain. Shiro moved in closer and grasped her hand to help calm her down.

"If you think venting will help resolve these issues, I strongly suggest you reconsider," Shiro told her.

"I'm not trying to make you my personal stress ball, Shiro. I was just hoping…"

"Jean, you know I can't give you the answers you desire. It sounds to me that you're not attempting to resolve anything. You're just preparing yourself for the worst."

"Does that make me crazy? Or just selfish?" she muttered.

"It doesn't make you anything other than overly frustrated. You had to fight people you cared about. That does not sit well with you. I doubt it sits well with _anyone_."

"I never said it did," said Jean as she grabbed her cocktail and gulped it down, "I know I'm overreacting, but I don't know any other way to react. Ever since the Phoenix Force went silent, I've felt so weak."

"You think having the Phoenix Force would have even made a difference? For all you know, it could have made things worse."

"Well they can't be much worse than they are now! My friends are in pain. _I'm_ in pain. The world is vulnerable and nobody has the power to stop it anymore. It's like we all stood by and watched ourselves get sicker and sicker. Now the disease is taking hold and there's nothing we can do to treat it."

Jean pulled out of Shiro's grip and hugged her shoulders. He was right about venting. It certainly wasn't helping. He helped her gain a new perspective when they met up in Boston. Now he looked as lost as everyone else.

"I'm sorry, Shiro. I don't mean to dump this on you," she said in a low tone.

"It's quite alright, Jean. We're all at a loss right now," he told her, "However, I think calling recent trends a disease is the wrong way to look at it."

"Then what's the right way? How else can we describe something that's this fucked up?" she muttered.

"There's no right way to begin with, but there are ways that are better. At some point we have to overcome our shortcomings. Otherwise they'll destroy us. We can't rely on others or cosmic forces to do it for us."

"Is that my problem? I'm relying too much on power?"

"It's not a problem as much as it is an approach," Shiro went on, "Jean, no breakthroughs in life comes without having to make hard decisions. I always had the power to leave Japan and become my own person. I just never used it."

"It's one thing to make life decisions. It's when you have to deal with governments, generals, and diplomats where those decisions become impossible," Jean said bitterly.

"I don't believe that. Not for a second," said Shiro strongly, "I think everyone has that kind of power regardless of who they're dealing with. It's a power that may not be as potent as the Phoenix Force, but it's every bit as profound."

"You make it sound easy," she said, "Right now, I have to decide whether I'm going to keep following Professor Xavier and the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. This isn't an instance where I can just flip a coin and leave everything to chance."

"Deciding is only half the equation, Jean. Timing is the other," he told her, "You clearly see a problem with what's happening with the X-men and X-Force. You could decide to do something about it this instant, but it would do you little good. The key is deciding at the right time so that others around you can make the appropriate decisions as well."

"Now you make it sound so difficult," Jean quipped, "How am I supposed to know when the time is right?"

"Well aside from being psychic you're also a smart, compassionate woman," said Shrio as she grasped her hand again, "I don't know the particulars of what the X-men are going through. What I do know is that you're the kind of person that won't cross certain lines. I suspect that when others around you start walking that line, you'll know what to do. It's just a matter of having heart, which I know you have plenty."

Jean let his words sink in. He painted a pretty complicated picture. It sounded as though she would have to make the hardest possible decision at the hardest possible time. After what happened on Genosha, she didn't have the strength. The Professor was forgetting his vision. The X-men were losing sight of their purpose. The governments they served were losing sight of their duties. It seemed as though there was little she could do.

She still took comfort in the confidence that Shiro had in her. Everyone else expected her to be a great X-man. He only expected her to have a good heart. That didn't seem nearly as daunting. She found herself leaning on him for support as she swallowed her emotions and re-gathered her strength.

"I hope you're right, Shiro. For all our sake, you better be," she mused.

"I have as much confidence as any bisexual Japanese mutant can offer. I suppose when I put it like that I'm not doing either of us any favors," said Shiro with a touch of humor.

"You do plenty," said Jean, mustering a slight smile.

"Thank you. With that in mind, can I ask you a somewhat unrelated question for a change?" he asked her.

"Seems like the least I can do," she said with a shrug.

"The man you love…Scott," he said in a more serious tone, "Do you love him enough that you want to be with him no matter how these events pan out?"

"That…is a whole other issue, Shiro," said Jean with a sigh, "Loving someone and being with them are two very different concepts."

"Are they really? Or is that what you've been telling yourself to make it easier?"

"Are you asking because you're hoping to give the female body another chance?"

"What? No I uh…" said Shiro, now feeling very awkward.

"It's okay, Shiro. I was just trying to muster up some humor," she said with a light smile, "If you're right about making hard decisions at the right time, then I'm sure I'll know where I stand with Scott when that time comes."

The awkwardness lingered, but Shiro found himself smiling back. He offered whatever comforting gestures he could manage. He had to restrain himself at some point. This was a beautiful woman and she still clearly had feelings for her former lover. Even if they weren't together at the moment, he ran the risk of complicating that situation. It was still a risk worth taking.

"I see you've found better company than the Institute," came a new voice, "I hope my timing isn't as bad as it looks."

Jean turned away from Shiro and looked up to see Ororo standing near her table. She had that look on her face that indicated she had bad news. She also had a look that implied a certain level of personal curiosity.

"Storm…I thought you were visiting Warpath at the base," said Jean awkwardly.

"I was. Then I got a text message from Hank. We're expected to be at NORAD within an hour. The Professor already has the X-jet prepped," she said, "That means we need to be on it within the hour."

"I take it this means someone the President and General Grimshaw are getting ready to throw us into the fire," said the young psychic with a sigh.

"Amongst other things," said Ororo flatly, "Which is why we had better get moving."

It sounded like the moment everyone had been dreading, but Jean didn't move with the same urgency as usual. If Genosha was any indication, that moment Shiro mentioned may be coming up fast.

"Sorry to cut this short, Shiro. I'm used to it. You're probably not," said Jean as she slipped out from the booth.

"I understand, Jean," he assured her, "Do what you need to do. Just be sure to make room for those passions you mentioned."

"I'll do my best," she said, trying to sound confident.

Jean left Shiro and his comfort behind. It was up to her to find the strength she needed. Looking over at Ororo, she sensed that she wasn't the only one.

"What was that about passions, Jean?" asked Ororo curiously.

"It's not the kind you're thinking about," assured Jean.

"You sure about that?" she questioned.

"As sure as anyone can be at a time like this," Jean replied, "Let's get out of here and get this over with. I'd like to know what kind of madness Magneto is up to now so we know how screwed we are."

* * *

 **Nova Roma – X-Force Base**

"It's official. We're more screwed now than we were before!" exclaimed Wolverine.

"I haven't even gone over the most important details yet," said Wanda Maximoff, who had been describing Asteroid M to X-Force.

"I don't think we need 'em at this point," he said as he opened a fresh bottle of Jack Daniels, "It was bad enough when Magneto had a whole country to himself. Now you're saying this Asteroid M is an entirely new world? Is that asshole ever satisfied?"

"I understand the frustration of not being _satisfied_ , but even I think this is too far," commented Emma Frost.

"There's still more to it, I'm afraid. More than even I may know," said Wanda grimly.

X-Force stood overwhelmed by Wanda's revelations. This was much bigger than anything they could have imagined. At a time when they were depleted and demoralized, it put them in a position where they were doomed to get caught in some form of crossfire.

Magneto was thinking bigger on a whole new level. It sounded like a last-ditch effort to create a world where mutants would be dominant. In that sense, Magneto took this vision quite literally.

He created a new world out of the very asteroid he used to try and destroy everything. This world was exquisitely detailed in the snow globe-like display that Wanda had received in a package from the Brotherhood. Scott, Emma, Kurt, Domino, and Logan each took turns observing it. By every measure, it was Magneto's most ambitious plan to date.

"Screwed or not, it makes a twisted bit of sense," said Scott, who was currently holding the globe, "He couldn't subdue this world so he created his own."

"Believe me when I say he _never_ wanted it to get this far," said Wanda distantly.

"I find _that_ hard to accept," scoffed Domino, "Even if this is excessive on way too many levels, it seems like he's taking the easy way out."

"That's exactly why my father wanted to avoid it," Wanda said in a stronger tone, "Asteroid M wasn't originally his idea. It was something his former mentor cooked up."

"Wait…Magneto has a mentor?" said Kurt curiously.

"You don't think he became Magneto overnight, do you?" quipped Wanda, "I'm sure Charles Xavier told you the story about how he lost his wife…my mother during his peace-keeping work with Charles Xavier. What he didn't tell you was what happened in the years that followed."

"The Professor did say he lost track of Magneto for a number of years," said Scott, "Is that where this began?"

"It probably began before that," said Wanda, "My father's mentor was an unusual man with some unusual insights. His name was Dr. Herbert Edgar Wyndham. He was once a respected biologist in England. Then one day he visited these mountains in the Balkans. I'm not sure what they were called, but my father called it Wundagore."

"Wundagore? Sounds like a Disney ride," muttered Logan, who had already chugged half his bottle of Jack Daniels.

"I don't know much about it, but my father said that Dr. Wyndham set up this elaborate lab within the mountain. I don't know how he did it or where he got the resources. All I know is he became a major influence on my father. You see, in addition to being a brilliant biologis,t he was also a mutant. I'm told he had this strange power that made him hyper-aware. My father called it cosmic awareness. Pietro just called him loony a brain-damaged squirrel."

"Zhat vould be only zhe second time I've agreed vith Pietro," said Kurt.

"Regardless of how we felt about him, my father learned a lot from that man. But as much as they learned from one another, there was one thing they never seemed to agree on."

"And somehow Asteroid M was their way of compromising? That sounds like quite an argument," said Emma dryly.

"It wasn't an argument as much as it was a debate," said Wanda, "My father believed in reshaping this world rather than abandoning it. He believed that mutants could usher in a new era…one that was worth fighting for, no matter how much humanity resisted it."

"So he thought an asteroid and the Cambrian would reshape everything?" muttered Logan, "Get your old man a dictionary because his definition is fucked up."

"I'd rather not argue my father's past misdeeds and I'd appreciate it if you quit slandering him," said Wanda, her eyes flashing briefly.

"Pay no attention to him, Vanda. Logan is somewhat drunk," coaxed Kurt, "Please continue."

Wanda was tempted to hex Logan for insulting her father. They were former X-men so they couldn't see the greater aspects of her father's vision. Even though some were jaded by his personal shortcomings, she still saw merit to her father's goals.

"Dr. Wyndham's vision for the world was far more _cynical_ if that's the correct word," Wanda went on.

"More cynical than Magneto?" scoffed Emma, " _That's_ quite a feat."

"I don't know if it was due to that cosmic awareness of his, but Dr. Wyndham believed in starting anew. He called evolution on Earth a dead end. He believed the only way it could succeed is if it started from scratch. For him, that meant creating entirely new ecosystems. My father helped him acquire genetic samples from all over the world. Dr. Wyndham's ultimate vision was to create a completely independent environment. I remember him pitching the idea to my father that they capture a large asteroid. My father disapproved of the idea, but then came the whole asteroid impact affair. Suddenly, Dr. Wyndham had a large chunk of rock orbiting the Earth at his disposal."

"Guess that's one way of turning success out of failure," said Scott as he held up the snow globe, "I remember the Professor saying that Jean couldn't completely deflect the asteroid. Instead, it was pushed into a stable orbit."

"It's not as convenient as it sounds. Where do you think he got the plans for that machine he used to draw the asteroid in?" said Wanda.

"I always vondered about zhat," muttered Kurt, "It makes sense zhat he vould have help."

"It also makes sense that he would go back to this mentor of his after the Cambrian worked him over," Scott reasoned, "Guess now they're in agreement about Asteroid M."

"That still doesn't explain how one guy could carve an entire world out of an asteroid," said Domino skeptically as she took the snow globe from Scott, "This Wyndham guy sounds like he lost his mind long before Magneto."

"That's what worries me," said Wanda in a more anxious tone, "Say what you will about my father, but something is definitely wrong with him if he's joined Dr. Wyndham in assembling Asteroid M."

"Something was always wrong with him," said Logan, "Maybe he's just given up on all that _reshaping_ bullshit you mentioned."

"It _can't_ be that simple. I refuse to believe that my father has grown that desperate!" said Wanda defensively.

"How can you be so damn sure? Maybe your old man watched the world go to Hell. For all we know he just said 'fuck it' and ran away to his floating space rock."

This time Kurt couldn't hold her back. Wanda used her hex bolts to shatter the half-full bottle of Jack Daniels while it was still in his hand. That enraged an already pissed off Logan, who proceeded to throw the broken bottle aside and draw his claws.

"Errrrrr! So that's how you wanna play it?" snarled the feral mutant.

"You were asking for it, Logan! I can do _much_ worse if you keep testing me!" said Wanda menacingly.

"Bring it on, Maximoff!" snarled Logan.

"Why don't you sober up, Logan?" quipped Scott.

Before the hostility could get any worse, Scott adjusted his visor and fired a stun-level blast at Logan. It struck him right in the chest, knocking him back against the refrigerator. Kurt got in front of Wanda so he couldn't come back at her if he tried. It left the former living weapon sore as well as angered.

"Hnn…you'll beat yourself up after shooting Warren, but you won't flinch a muscle when you shoot me?" he snarled.

"Wanda was right. You _were_ asking for it," said Scott strongly, "We get it. You think Magneto is crazy. I admit I'm skeptical as well when she says something is wrong with Magneto."

"You mean aside from a _long_ list of issues?" grumbled Logan as he pulled himself up.

"We can debate that another time, but for the moment…I believe Wanda."

"So do I," said Kurt strongly, making it clear that he wasn't going to let Logan attack her.

"As disconcerting it may be, she may actually be our best ally. Keep in mind we have precious few," Emma pointed out.

"You're out-voted here, Logan. So why don't you give it a rest and listen?" said Domino, "We won't do ourselves any favors by fighting each other."

"Speak for yourself," grumbled the feral mutant.

Logan kept muttering curses under his breath as he rose up from Scott's blast. The rest of X-Force turned back towards Wanda. On some levels, Logan had a point. They were relying an awful lot on Magneto's daughter. They were in a vulnerable position and their only hope of confronting this crisis was through her.

"Let's skip the part where we speculate why Magneto helped create Asteroid M. Right now, I'm more curious about why the Brotherhood would send you this package and just leave without a trace," said Scott.

"Well after what happened the last time they paid a visit, I'd expect them to be more reluctant," said Emma.

"That's never stopped them before," said Wanda as she looked distantly into the snow globe, "They could have easily knocked me out, drugged me, or just shoved me into one of Blink's portals. But they didn't. That says to me that Pietro wasn't the one that sent me this package."

"No surprise there," shrugged Kurt, "Pietro can never resist making a scene."

"Then that probably means Magneto sent it," Scott surmised, "The question is why."

"I already know why," said Wanda, "He's expecting me to understand that Asteroid M means this world is about to fail in a significant way. He wants me to rejoin him. Moreover, he wants me to come of my own volition."

"And are you?" asked Kurt in a worried tone.

Wanda paused for a moment. She turned away from the snow globe and back towards X-Force. She didn't choose to be stuck in Nova Roma with X-Force. However, she had chosen to stay and doing so had been quite an experience. That experience greatly complicated this seemingly simple decision.

"If this came to me a few days after the Genosha exodus, I wouldn't have hesitated. Now I'm not so sure," said Wanda, "Aside from Logan's juvenile personality, I've learned a lot from X-Force. I've seen you do things that make me wonder what I should do given my position."

"Does that mean we get to say you're welcome?" said Domino.

"Don't get ahead of yourselves," said Wanda, rolling her eyes, "You may not like it, but I still care about my father. I still care about the Brotherhood and what we once stood for. I may have changed my stance on a number of issues, but I won't change my stance on the future of our kind. That's exactly why I can't just go to my father. Something just feels…wrong."

"I believe you. I also believe that you can't ignore this," said Scott.

"I know I can't. But what am I supposed to do? You said it yourself. X-Force is decimated. The X-men can't be trusted. If I turn out to be right, then it doesn't matter what we do. We're not in a position to stop it."

Wanda set down the snow globe and hugged her shoulders. Kurt offered to console her. Scott, Emma, Domino, and Logan shared in her frustration with little hope of such consolation. Asteroid M was Magneto's ultimate stand. On the surface it seemed like a viable if not excessive solution.

A heavy silence fell over the room. It was a given that Magneto controlling a massive space station would cause a major panic once word got out. For that reason, the X-men and the authorities weren't going to let it stand. Such a move could make an extreme situation much worse. Scott, who was still reeling from the scars left by Romulus, understood this more than anyone. X-Force had to do something about it.

"In this instance I don't believe you, Wanda. We _are_ in a position to stop this," said Scott in a stronger tone.

"We are?" questioned Logan, "You sure you ain't been drinking again, Cyke?"

"Near as I can tell, he's sober," said Emma dryly, "Although I can't help but be dubious."

"I know my credibility has taken a hit lately. I don't blame you for doubting me, but we can't doubt our mission. Magneto is making a move. We can expect the X-men and the MSA to make a move of their own. If White Cell was any indication, we can expect that move to be mired in complications. We can't afford that this time. We need to be in a position to deal with them and Magneto."

"Why don't we do some Korean algebra while we're at it?" scoffed Domino, "Seriously, Scott. Are you sure you're not still drunk?"

"I'm not drunk, damn it! And like the rest of you, I'm not going to stand by while our already vulnerable world is threatened," said the X-Force leader, now sounding stronger than he had since the White Cell affair.

"I agree vith you, mein friend. No one here intends to ignore zhis, but ve can't do anything meaningful vithout a plan," Kurt pointed out.

"I know that, Kurt. Which is why I have a plan," said Scott.

"Is it a plan like the one we had for White Cell?" said Logan dryly, "Because you handled that _so_ well."

"Since I've learned some harsh lessons from that mission, I'll skip the part where I shoot you with another optic blast, Logan. But unless anyone has a plan of their own, we need to act soon. Neither Magneto nor the X-men are going to give us much time."

Logan, Kurt, Emma, and Domino studied their leader. Scott sounded a lot more like the competent tactician they placed so much trust in when they joined X-Force. Yet there was still an unmistakable doubt in his tone. It left them plenty of reasons to worry, but since no one had a plan of their own they decided to hear him out.

"Since no one is asking if I'm drunk anymore, the rest falls on you, Wanda," said Scott, "You helped us in a tough situation against White Cell. Now let us help you in a tough situation with your father."

"I'm not going to refuse help in this matter," she told him, "However, I'm worried about what this _help_ will entail."

"Give me a chance to put those worries at ease," he urged her, "When we're done, help me make a few calls. For this plan to work, we'll have to put ourselves right in the line of fire. But unlike the White Cell mission, we _will_ maintain control."

"How can you be so sure this time?" said Emma skeptically.

"Because we're not going to stay in the shadows," Scott replied, "We're laying everything on the line this time. There will be no room for ambiguity. _That's_ how we'll maintain control. And that control will be our greatest edge."

The X-Force leader never took his eyes off Wanda. Regardless of how confident the team was with him, everything fell on her shoulders. Plan or no plan, she was responsible for whatever damage her father incurred. Turning towards Kurt and then back towards Scott, she made a fateful decision.

"Okay Cyclops," said Wanda, now sharing his strength, "What's the plan and what do you need from me?"

* * *

 **Church of Humanity**

"In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit," said Father Ryan Hansen before his crowded pews, "Peace be with you."

"And also with you," they replied in unison.

It was a refreshing moment for the passionate preacher. After suffering from a gunshot wound at the hands of William Stryker, he was relegated to a hospital bed and away from his congregation. Once he had sufficiently healed, his flock eagerly returned to his sermons.

It was probably the largest crowd he had seen at his church to date. Mutants from District X along with nearby residents and their families came in droves to wish him well. Even Isaac took some time off from his work in District X to share this moment with him. He and a great many others sorely needed it.

While he was recovering, his followers faced their own test of faith. The recent events with White Cell left many feeling vulnerable. It seemed as though the MSA, the military, and every other authority they trusted could not protect them. In this fear it was only natural that they turn to a much higher authority.

"Thank you everyone," he told his flock, "I am truly warmed by your love and support. I understand such warmth is hard to come by in these difficult times. A gunshot wound to our bodies can be just as painful as a wound to our souls. I healed from my wound, but I sense you are wounded as well. I'm here to tell you that faith can help us heal our wounds, although my doctor tells me gunshot wounds are the exception."

That morbid joke earned some laughs from the pews. It was remarkable that Father Hansen could still smile after his ordeal. It showed how strong his faith was, having healed with his heart and spirit intact.

"One of Christ's most significant acts was healing the sick," Father Hansen went on, "He understood that a man's body was as frail as his spirit. We often forget just how vulnerable we are until part of us is wounded. Well the wounds inflicted by White Cell ran much deeper. Near as we can tell, they sought to destroy the safety and harmony that we've come to rely on. The brave men and women that we rely on to protect us have been crippled. They have their lives, but not the tools with which to do their duty. I would say unto them and to everyone here that we still have our most important tool intact. That tool is our faith. For no matter how wounded we may be or how vulnerable we may feel, God is still watching out for us. God gives us the strength to endure. Through the love and charity bestowed upon us by His only begotten son, we shall heal."

"You may be right, Father. But what good is healing if we end up enduring greater wounds?" came a voice.

That powerful voice interrupted Father Hansen's sermon. Everyone within the crowded pews turned back towards the main entrance where a lone figure stood in the open doorway.

He was a tall, imposing man with long dark hair and a Latino complexion. He wore a strange black and blue body suit with a large M embroidered on the chest. As he entered this holy sanctum, some viewed him with suspicion. Among those were Idie, Jubilee, and Teon.

"Fight?" said Teon with a growl.

"No Teon…not yet," said Idie as she watched the man closely.

"My creep detector is going haywire," said Jubilee, "If Gabriel, Laurie, and Kenji hadn't landed patrol duty with Bishop, I bet they would say the same."

"I would not argue with them. But let's not judge him just yet. Especially in a church," said Idie.

All eyes remained on the man as he approached the altar. As he drew near, Isaac came out from the front pew and confronted him.

"Excuse me, sir! I don't know if this is the first time you've been in a church, but it's incredibly rude to interrupt Father Hansen while he's preaching the good word," said Isaac in a threatening tone.

"Forgive my manners. My name is Vargas. I am a former sinner who overcome his sin in a very special manner," he said cryptically, "I meant to arrive sooner, but my trip was rather _extensive_. I'm not here to speak out against God. I'm just here to share some good news of another kind."

Isaac remained apprehensive. Father Hanson stepped down from the altar to wave him down. Like many others, he was intrigued by this man.

"Stand down, Isaac. This man has something to say. Let him say it," said Father Hansen.

"Thank you, Father. I promise I'll be brief. I have many other stops to make in spreading this message. Your congregation just happens to be the first," said Vargas.

The mysterious man turned around to address the curious pews, who listened intently with mixed suspicions.

"This is a very special group you have here, Father. You and your followers are bold. You embrace the greatest outcasts of society, a very Christ-like act in a world where there are few. I see some mutants in the audience. I also see some humans, sharing in their burden. You may look vastly different and wield powers that further those differences. Yet the good reverend here preaches a powerful message. He urges us to embrace these differences rather than fear them. That makes you worthy of this message that I hope will soon spread far and wide."

Vargas rolled up the sleeves of his body suit, revealing scars that ran up and down his arm. They were the unmistakable scars of a drug-addict. He walked up and down the rows of the pews so everyone could see the scars of his sins.

"As my scars demonstrate, I was once weak, wounded, and vulnerable. I barely had the strength to stand on my own two feet, let alone defend myself. Then God sent to me his blessed children. They revealed to me a way in which we could all be strong again! That way flows through my veins as we speak. It flows in the veins of every mutant in the world. God has given us a taste of the blessed. Now we have a means to share it."

Now standing in the center of all the pews, Vargas reached into his body suit and pulled out a container of glowing red fluid. Many stood up so they could get a closer look. Jubilee, Teon, and Idie were among them. Unlike the rest of the congregation, they recognized what Vargas was holding.

"Jubilee, is that…" gasped Idie.

"It is," said Jubilee, her gaze narrowing on Vargas, "We should probably warn Bishop and Sage. I doubt anything _godly_ will come of this."

Jubilee led Idie and Teon out from the pews while everyone else crowded around Vargas. They didn't understand what they were looking at, but they could sense its importance.

"I hold in my hand that which ended my sin," Vargas proclaimed proudly, "I subjected myself to grueling experiments, enduring pain the likes of which I cannot describe. These experiments yielded this wondrous elixir. It turned me from a wounded human into one of the blessed."

"By blessed you mean…" began Isaac, who remained defensive of Vargas's message.

"Yes…I am now a mutant," he proclaimed, "I was born human, but I was given the chance to change that. I took that chance because like you I've watched the world become mired in conflict. There are too many humans that seek to destroy mutants and too many mutants that seek to destroy humans. That is why I came here on behalf of the former mutants of Genosha. They seek to escape this world of conflict and they embraced me in my desire to escape as well. Now I offer this choice to everyone. You can do as I have. You can become a new generation of the blessed, free from fear and pain. We can rebuild what was lost on Genosha in a new world!"

His message sparked commotion and discussion throughout the pews. This man claimed that he had willingly chose to become a mutant. Such a choice seemed inconceivable in a world where human/mutant issues drove so much conflict. Yet it made sense in a strange sort of way. What better way to resolve those issues than to share the burden? Some were already curious to know more.

"That elixir you're holding…could it help my wife? She's been sick with cancer for nearly a year now," asked a middle-aged man eagerly.

"Could it make me taller? I would love to be taller!" said a short woman with tanned skinned.

"You said something about rebuilding Genosha," said a mutant woman from District X, "Was that a metaphor or were you being serious?"

"Oh we're doing more than rebuilding. We can do more than heal physical wounds as well," said Vargas ominously, "I'll be happy to share more with you, but we must be brief. A much larger announcement will be at hand and the world must prepare to embrace God's plan!"

Father Hansen's sermon seemed to fall to the wayside. Everyone was now clamoring around Vargas. The mutants in the pews were eager to learn more about a rebuilt Genosha. Humans were eager to learn about embracing this power as he had described. If it could save Vargas from his sin, then it could save many others.

In the midst of this commotion, Isaac and Father Hansen stayed back. Isaac remained suspicious of Vargas, seeing in him more sin that he let on. Father Hansen was less certain. This revelation posed some profound issues that went beyond the spiritual.

"This man has all the trappings of a false prophet, Father," said Isaac sternly, "We cannot allow him to poison our flock."

"His message may be misleading, but I sense no deception," said Father Hansen distantly, "I've heard the words of liars and charlatans. This man does not speak like one."

"Does it matter?" questioned Isaac.

"It _always_ matters when a messenger believes his own message. I get the sense that even he doesn't fully understand what he preaches."

"So what do we do? Watch and pray he does not lead God's children into the lake of fire?"

Father Hansen turned towards his long-time associate and led him aside so that they were away from the crowd. Father Hansen may have sensed sincerity in this mysterious man, but he also sensed trouble. For this they would require more than just prayer.

"We will not forget our flock, my friend," assured Father Hansen, "At the moment, we're witnessing the beginning of something _biblical_ in size. It won't be long before others witness it as well. That is why we must maintain our faith and make some important preparations."

* * *

 **Colorado Springs – NORAD Headquarters**

" _Attention all NORAD personnel and support staff. We are going into lockdown. I repeat, we are going into lockdown. All major bunkers will be sealed within the next twenty minutes. Maintain protocols 16-1015 until further notice."_

Those emergency announcements had been blaring throughout NORAD since President Kelly arrived. The events on Genosha initiated a long list of security protocols. President Kelly didn't take any chances. He left Washington with his family as soon as Professor Xavier informed him of what happened.

General Grimshaw lingered in Washington to help the MSA transfer their operations to NORAD so they would be more secure. Given their depleted manpower and Magneto's resilience, it wasn't clear if these measures would do them much good.

"Do they really think hiding here will protect them from Magneto?" said Betsy dryly as she followed the X-men through the elaborate complex.

"This facility was built to withstand a thermonuclear strike. I would hope it offers _some_ protection," said Hank.

"Who's to say he'll even target President Kelly or the MSA?" questioned Jean.

"He's Magneto and the last time we faced him, he was nuttier than a pack of hungry squirrels," said Rogue, "Ah wouldn't put anything past him."

"I don't know, Rogue. He must be somewhat competent to attack at a time like this," said Ororo, "He must be sane on some levels to attack when global defenses are at their weakest."

"His sanity is a secondary concern, at least for now," said Piotr as he looked around, "I'm more worried about how the President and the General will respond. The last time they faced such an imminent threat, it did _not_ work out so well."

"I hear you, Pete," said Remy, "Hopefully, they done learned their lesson. If not, then it really don't matter how strong this bunker is."

The sense of vulnerability permeated even as the large blast doors that protected NORAD were closed behind them. Jean, Hank, Ororo, Rogue, Remy, Betsy, and Piotr watched as various military personnel scrambled to get inside before the complex was sealed. The whole facility was buried deep within a mountain and sheltered underground underneath many layers of rock. Yet it didn't set anyone's mind at ease. The X-men had faced Magneto enough times to know they couldn't hide from his wrath.

Shortly after the blast doors were sealed, the X-men met up with Professor Xavier and Captain Freeman. They had already arrived at this facility earlier and didn't seem to take much comfort in the security measures either.

"Thank you for arriving so quickly, X-men," greeted Professor Xavier, "As you can see, the President is taking this threat quite seriously."

"This is one instance where there's no such thing as overreacting," sighed Betsy, "Is he that convinced that Magneto is up to his old tricks again?"

"As far as I'm concerned, it's beyond dispute," said Xavier confidently, "Some new data just came in. President Kelly and General Grimshaw are discussing it with allied countries as we speak."

"I hope no one has started shooting off nuclear missiles just yet. We all know how badly that turned out last time," said Jean.

"Some of these people have short memories," said Captain Freeman, "That's why General Grimshaw wants us there. We're hoping to avoid any unreasonable extremes, at least for a while."

"You sound like the odds be stacked against us, Captain," said Remy.

"Let's just say these are high stakes that even you would never play, Lebeau," said the Green Beret.

Captain Freeman's tone was more crass than usual. Even he accepted that they weren't going to enjoy the roles they would play in this crisis. After the White Cell debacle, no one seemed to have a coherent plan anymore. That left Magneto at a huge advantage.

Despite this mix of cynicism and dread, the X-men followed their mentor into the heart of NORAD. They passed by a number of security barriers, many of which were undermanned due to a significant lack of manpower. The effects of White Cell's attacks were apparent. Many of the personnel within the base looked like they had been stretched too thin. When they reached the main control room, they saw that President Kelly was just as beleaguered.

"Any change yet, General?" asked Professor Xavier as he arrived with the X-men.

"See for yourself, X-men," said General Grimshaw, who stood back near a computer terminal, "It's as unnerving as you expect."

Professor Xavier lingered with the General behind the terminals and watched President Kelly converse with other world leaders. Several dozen video feeds were projected onto a large screen that dominated the front wall. The video feeds displayed the worried demeanors of leaders and ambassadors from various countries. They all seemed to share his concerns and his distress.

" _My people have looked over these magnetic readings from space, Mr. President,"_ said the French Defense Minister, _"They're all in agreement. These anomalies are consistent with those caused by Magneto."_

"You don't need to convince me of that. Our team here at NORAD has analyzed it as well," said President Kelly, "Magneto always leaves a signature whenever he pulls off one of his magnetic stunts. He just can't resist showing off."

" _I'm not as concerned about him showing off as I am his sanity,"_ said the Russian President, _"This man unleashed that Cambrian creature on us. There are parts of my country that are still cleaning up from it."_

" _My country was hurt more by that communications blackout he pulled before he disappeared,"_ said the Prime Minister of South Korea.

" _Yes, we can all attest to our countries being affected by Magneto,"_ conceded the British Prime Minister, _"Whether he's sane or not, he's clearly making a move of sorts."_

"At a time when our collective defenses are still rebuilding no less," said President Kelly, "That should be proof enough that Magneto has been biding his time."

" _And we are simply not equipped to deal with it like we were when he invaded Genosha,"_ said the President of South Africa, _"Our African Union forces were disorganized to begin with. Now I have several countries that can't even protect their capital cities, let alone defend against another threat from Magneto."_

" _Excuse me for being overly blunt, but isn't this why we agreed to the Mutant Monitoring Initiative?"_ asked the President of Brazil in an apprehensive tone, _"Isn't this something the global MSA should be handling?"_

"Like every other defense force in the world, the MSA has been hit hard by the White Cell attack," said President Kelly, "General Grimshaw has been coordinating with most of your affiliates. They've been supplementing basic defense forces, but they aren't even close to full strength."

" _So what are our options?"_ asked the Premier of China, _"Everyone else here seems too spooked to even contemplate a plan."_

"That's because we don't know enough about what we're dealing with here. We only know that Magneto is involved. This limits our options, especially given the location of the source. I've sent every one of you our latest spectral analysis in an encrypted email. This should explain how difficult any plan would be."

President Kelly adjusted his tie in an effort to keep his composure. Every other leader seemed anxious to act. He brought up the analysis on one of the terminals. It depicted a large digital display that had a scaled mock-up of the Earth and moon. In the middle of each was the source of the anomaly, marked by a large red dot. Around this dot were multipledata points that reminded them of how poorly equipped they were.

"As you can see, the source of the magnetic anomaly on Genosha was traced back to this point in space," said President Kelly, "NORAD has determined that the source is either an asteroid or a large space station of sorts."

" _It wouldn't be the first time Magneto has used an asteroid,"_ said the defense minister of Egypt, _"Is this another instance where he hopes to wipe us out with an impact?"_

"It's possible, but not very likely. Even Magneto isn't _that_ unoriginal," said President Kelly, "NASA, Russia, and the European Space Agency have all tracked the source. It appears to be in a stable orbit. The problem is that orbit is beyond the range of any space vehicles, including the classified ones the public doesn't know about."

" _They are not out of the range of ballistic missiles,"_ said the President of Russia intently, _"My top engineers assured me that they could reach this source with only a few modifications."_

"My engineers went to the same schools that your engineers did, Mr. President," said President Kelly, "Believe me, we're making sure that's an option."

" _Then why aren't we acting on it? Do we even have any other options?"_ questioned the German Chancellor.

"That's something we're still trying to determine," said President Kelly.

" _Well given our current situation, I say the time for such determinations are limited,"_ said the President of Japan, _"We've waited too long in the past and it has allowed Magneto to do great damage. Why should we wait this time? Why not end this madness before it escalates? We would be doing the world a favor."_

" _I agree!"_ said a high ranking military officer from Saudi Arabia, _"We should have ended this long ago. Let's end it now before our people pay the price!"_

" _If we're voting, I would second this resolution,"_ said the President of Argentina.

" _I would gladly third,"_ said the Prime Minister of India.

The sentiment was clear. No one was willing to wait for all the facts to come in. They failed to stop Magneto before he unleashed the Cambrian. They couldn't fail again at a time when they were this vulnerable.

That didn't sit well with Professor Xavier and the X-men. They turned to General Grimshaw, who maintained his usual stoic demeanor.

"Aren't you going to say something, General?" asked Professor Xavier, "I thought you were an _ardent_ opponent of shooting blindly at a threat."

"I'm also an opponent of fighting battles I know I can't win," said the General, "No country had the ability to oppose Magneto when their defenses were at full strength. Can you really blame them for wanting to be proactive when they're at less than half?"

"That's an excuse. Not a reason," the Professor pointed out.

"And not a very good reason I might add," said Ororo.

"If you have an alternative, then by all means," quipped the General, "Believe me, the suggestion box is wide open."

"Keeping in mind that negotiating with Magneto probably won't fly," noted Captain Freeman.

"We don't know that. We don't know anything about what he's doing," said Hank.

"For all we know we'll start a crisis far worse than the one we resolve," the Professor added.

"I'm not comfortable with ignorance either. I wish I knew more and so does everyone else in this base," said the General, who remained fixated on the President, "We've exhausted what limited resources we have trying to figure out what that anomaly on Genosha was and what the even bigger anomaly orbiting overhead entails."

"That doesn't mean we should stop trying," said Professor Xavier strongly, "With a few adjustments to Cerebrum, I may be able to psychic scan further into space. I may even be able to make contact with Magneto."

"You think anyone here has the patience to wait for a breakthrough like that? Face it, Xavier. Unless new intel literally comes knocking on our door, we have no choice but to…"

Then the General was unexpectedly cut off. One of the female Majors rushed over from one of the terminals. She had with her a tablet computer that she held close to her chest. She literally forced herself in front of the General and the Professor to get their attention.

"General, sir! You're not going to believe this!" she said breathlessly.

"We're in the middle of a doomsday scenario. I'm more gullible than usual," said the General.

"We just got some unannounced visitors. The MPs patched through the security feed. I'm not sure if it's a bad sign, but it's definitely worth noticing."

The female Major showed her tablet computer to General Grimshaw and Professor Xavier. The rest of the X-men crowded around as well to get a look. When they saw the video feed, their eyes widened with shock.

"By stars and garners!" gasped Hank.

"I think that pretty much sums it up," said Betsy.

"General, you must…" began, Professor Xavier.

"I'm already on it, Professor," said the General.

Breaking his silence, General Grimshaw grabbed the tablet computer from the Major and approached President Kelly. They were still in the middle of discussing the ballistic missile option. The General was all too eager to interrupt them.

"Excuse me, gentlemen. But something has come up that demands your attention," the General announced.

"General, we're in the middle of something very important so this had better be relevant," warned a distressed President Kelly.

"Trust me, it's related…in more ways than one," he replied cryptically, "Give me a moment. I'm going to patch the security feed into your communications link. I think you'll all want to see this."

General Grimshaw didn't give President Kelly a chance to argue. He signaled the Major, who was already working with her team to patch the feed into the encrypted link. Within moments, a new video image appeared on the massive screen. The image depicted X-Force standing right in front of the main gate outside NORAD's main entrance. Cyclops, Domino, Emma Frost, Wolverine, and Nightcrawler were in full uniform looking ready for battle. But what really drew everyone's attention was who they had with them. It was Wanda Maximoff and she looked as impatient as everyone else.

" _Are we patched in yet? I'm not my brother, but I share his lack of patience,"_ said Wanda through the feed.

"We hear you, Miss Maximoff. You're now speaking to the President and a long list of world leaders that I don't have time to name," said General Grimshaw through the computer.

" _Good, because they need to know what my father has planned. And if they want to avoid more needless destruction, they'll also listen to what X-Force and I plan to do about it."_

* * *

 **Up next: High Evolution**


	21. Issue 169: High Evolution Part 1

**Issue #169**

 **High Evolution Part 1**

 _Professor Charles Xavier believes that humans and mutants can live in peace. But in a world that hates and fears mutants, achieving such peace has proved difficult. It became so difficult that Professor Xavier forged a partnership with the government known as the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. This partnership has been controversial amongst allies and enemies alike. Now this initiative faces its biggest crisis to date._

 _It started in the ruins of Genosha. Professor Xavier's X-men clashed with X-Force, a rival group led by Cyclops, that opposed his initiative. In the midst of this clash, a mysterious device was activated. It revealed that Magneto had returned from exile with terrifying ambition._

 _This sent President Kelly and the governments of the world into a panic. With few answers and decimated defenses in wake of the attack by White Cell, humanity sought to act swiftly. Then in an unexpected turn, those answers literally arrived at their doorstep. Wanda Maximoff arrived with X-Force to tell them all about her father's plan._

 _He calls it Asteroid M. It is his most ambitious and desperate attempt to create a world where mutants dominate. With help from Dr. Herbert Wyndham, he transported the Brotherhood and the 198 remaining mutants from Genosha to this world. They arrived to find a paradise landscape ripe with new ecosystems. However, Asteroid M promises to do more than just shelter mutants. It promises to usher in a new kind of evolution._

 **Asteroid M – City X**

The Brotherhood and the 198 former citizens of Genosha were continually astonished as they explored their new home. Asteroid M was more than just a world carved out of a space rock. It was a clean slate for their kind. The many reservations about Magneto's return were quickly cast aside as he led them on a tour of their new domain.

Utilizing a series of magnetic platforms, he levitated the Brotherhood and the 198 so they could get an aerial view of this vast space station. The primary level, as Magneto called it, was a large plain that covered a diverse topography. The river that ran through the center nurtured a diverse valley that contained all sorts of ecosystems. There were forests, grasslands, deserts, swamps, and even a few polar regions around the mountains. It was amazing that so much could fit into a single asteroid. However, he reserves the most amazing sight for last.

"Slow down, father! I wanted to see more of those beach areas you showed us," said Pietro eagerly.

"Forget the beach! What about all those bizarre animals running around?" asked Blink.

"What about them? You can't have a thriving new world without a little biodiversity," shrugged Dr. Wyndham, who was standing at the front of the platform.

"Can we eat them?" asked Blob.

"I just knew you were going to ask _that_ at some point," said Alex, rolling his eyes.

"I'm afraid I can't show you everything Asteroid M has to offer in just one tour," said Magneto as they flew over a series of hills, "There will be plenty of time to explore, but right now you need to see the centerpiece of this wondrous new world. While we may no longer be on Earth, I assure you we won't leave the comforts of civilization behind."

As soon as they passed over the hills, the Brotherhood and the 198 saw what he meant. In the very center of this vast plain was a city that was truly worthy of a world this vast. It was larger than any city that existed on earth.

It was organized in a series of rectangular grids that were all interconnected by roads and utility lines. The grids contained a wide array of buildings including residential complexes, recreation centers, manufacturing areas, and commercial hubs. The same river that ran through the valley they saw earlier ran through the center, fueling opulent waterways and fountains. It was so clean and ordered, bearing all the trappings of a prosperous city.

In the center was Magneto's citadel, which had been rebuilt in spectacular fashion. It was taller and more elaborate than anything on Genosha. It bore some of the distinct marks of Warlock technology. In fact, much of the cityscape shared that high-tech style. The city seemed to anchor the vast landscape with the rest of the asteroid. In terms of a new home for their kind, this city added to the appeal.

"Wow…please tell me this is where we'll be living!" exclaimed a young mutant boy no older than 14 from the 198.

"I certainly wouldn't mind living here," said a mutant woman who appeared to be the boy's mother, "It seems much safer than Genosha."

"That's for sure!" said a middle-aged mutant man with dark skin, "This is way better than a bunker or an island!"

"It's a new world, my mutant brethren. A fresh start for us and for generations to come," said Magneto, "Dr. Wyndham and I have built City X from the ground up, creating an advanced environment that will foster an advanced society."

"Just the two of you built something _this_ huge?" said Alex in astonishment, "You must have had a lot of free time or some kick-ass tools."

"It wasn't as difficult as you think," said Magneto wryly, "Dr. Wyndham has been planning this massive undertaking for decades. His brilliance and resourcefulness helped make Asteroid M possible. I just provided the extra muscle."

"That and the most advanced Warlock technology ever crafted certainly helps," grinned Dr. Wyndham.

"Indeed," said the master of magnetism, "In fact, it was Dr. Wyndham that helped me uncover that alien ship on Genosha. He discovered this technology decades before anyone else."

"By discover, he means I risked life and limb to sneak onto Genosha and steal as much hardware as I could carry," added Dr. Wyndham with a touch of humor.

"I was on Genosha when men like Cameron Hodge were running things," said Unus, "Your bravery is commendable."

"And thanks to his work, we can enjoy the fruits of his labor," Magneto went on, "During my exile, I helped Dr. Wyndham assemble the technology that carved this world out of a dead chunk of space rock. That same technology will ensure that City X is the most advanced city ever created. Food, water, utilities, and even high-speed internet are built into its heart for a strong, prosperous society."

"So that means my iPhone will still work?" asked Scanner.

"I also hope it means this world is self-sustaining," said Mellencamp, "I'd rather _not_ return to Earth anytime soon."

"Not unless we go back just to burn it down," said Pyro.

"We'll have everything we need here on Asteroid M," said Magneto, "There will be no need to go back to Earth. If anything, Earth is officially obsolete."

It was hard not to share that sentiment as they passed over the citadel. It gave the Brotherhood and the rest of the 198 a perfect view of Asteroid M's sheer scale. The city was at the center of this vast landscape. Even though they were on an asteroid, it felt like they were on another world. It was much larger and more complete than Genosha ever was. Everything seemed so advanced and polished. However, there were still plenty of burning questions.

"This is incredible, father! You've truly outdone yourself this time," said Pietro proudly, "Makes me wish we made this place sooner. It would have saved us a lot of headaches."

"There's a reason for that, my son. I had hoped that Asteroid M wouldn't be necessary," Magneto explained as they circled around the citadel, "I thought we could create this world on Earth with the collective strength of all mutant kind. We fought hard for that world over the years. I'm sad to admit I was wrong."

"If this place is as good as it looks, consider yourself forgiven," said Blob, grinning as he looked out over the cityscape.

"I admit I'm impressed," said Alex, "But an entire world just for mutants? It just seems like a bit much."

"I hope you're not going to complain," scoffed Pietro, "Overkill or not, this is exactly what our kind needs after everything we've been through."

"Alex still brings up an important point, son," said Magneto, "This world is vast. And while the population of mutants is growing, they still account for a small percentage of Earth's population. Even if Asteroid M were to house every mutant and their families, this world would still have plenty of room to spare."

"Not that I'm against abundant free space, but it still presents an inescapable problem," said Dr. Wyndham, "By assembling all mutants in a single location, we inhibit the potential for biodiversity. If we wish for this world to _evolve_ , we must have a sizable population with equally sizable diversity."

"What does that mean? Large scale breeding programs?" joked Pyro.

"I can get behind that!" said Unus as he high-fived Pyro.

"Even if that were appropriate, it would be too slow. We need Asteroid M to be viable long term before the unevolved fools on Earth attempt to destroy it," said Magneto, "That is why Dr. Wyndham and I have formulated a new strategy…one that has forced me to reevaluate my stance on humanity."

"To what extent?" asked Alex suspiciously, "I hope it didn't come from any lastingeffects the Cambrian had on you."

"You're just looking for ways to spoil this moment, aren't you?" groaned Pietro.

"It is not an inappropriate question, Alex. Nor is it worth going into extensively," said Magneto, "It goes back to what doomed Genosha. We closed ourselves off. We drew lines in the sand with the humans. We refused to surrender or compromise. While it is admirable not to surrender, it is foolish to never compromise."

"Magneto compromise with humans? You sure he doesn't have a bit of Cambrian left in him?" said Pyro under his breath.

"Can it, flame brain! Or you'll compromise with my fist," scorned Pietro.

"Being a dominant species, we bear a certain responsibility to those less evolved," said Magneto, ignoring Pyro's comments, "I negated those responsibilities for a long time and it cost us dearly. We _must_ be willing to share this marvelous endeavor. That is why we must act prudently."

He sounded both serious and sane. It was a welcome change for some yet still suspicious for others. Magneto didn't give anyone time to question him further. Using his powers, he redirected the large metal platform that carried the Brotherhood and the 198 to the base of the citadel.

After a brief trip, he placed it in a large clearing. Upon landing, Magneto turned towards the front entrance to the citadel and gestured at the front gate. The large metal doors opened to reveal Frenzy, who bore a new uniform worthy of this new society.

"Allow me to introduce Joanna Cargil, or Frenzy as she prefers when in uniform," said Magneto, "By pure happenstance, our paths crossed and I have convinced her to serve with the Brotherhood here in Asteroid M."

"You make it sound as though I had options," scoffed Frenzy as she approached, "Is it that time already?"

"Indeed it is," said Magneto with an ominous grin.

"Time for what?" asked Blob curiously.

"Frenzy will finish the rest of the tour from here," said Magneto, "She'll show the Brotherhood the Citadel and the various sub-levels. The rest of our residents are free to explore the city."

"Works for me! I call dibs on that fancy fountain we passed over," said a mutant boy with a fish-like appearance as he ran off into the city.

"You can't call dibs on a fountain! Hell, you can't call dibs on anything here!" argued a similarly aged mutant girl who also had a fish-like mutation.

"Why not? This place is big enough and not nearly as dull as Genosha!" said an older mutant man with sand-like skin.

The 198 quickly dispersed, excited to explore their new home. It left Alex, Pietro, Blob, Pyro, Mellencamp, Unus, Scanner, and Blink behind with Frenzy. She and Dr. Wyndham led them back towards the citadel while Magneto flew off in another direction. They had plenty more to show them and Magneto still had important work to do.

"Where are you going, father?" asked Pietro.

"To deliver an important message to a desperate world," the master of magnetism replied, "Dr. Wyndham will explain it along the way. For now, relax and adjust to your new surroundings. We'll be having some important guests very soon."

 **Colorado Springs – NORAD**

"You're dropping some _distressing_ revelations on us, Miss Maximoff," said an exasperated Present Kelly, "They're almost enough to make me forget that you've been MIA since the Genosha exodus and are rubbing shoulders with X-Force."

"Is that going to be a problem, Mr. President?" said Cyclops in an assertive tone.

"It could be," he replied, "Depending on how big a threat this _space station_ you're describing turns out to be."

"It's not a space station. It's a whole new world! At least, that's how my father sees it," said Wanda Maximoff, still under heavy scrutiny by the Secret Service and the X-men, "Asteroid M was constructed as the ultimate backup plan to Genosha. It's a separate, self-contained, self-sufficient environment where mutants can live in peace. He said he would only pursue it if it became apparent that Earth was too dangerous."

"Well I'd say he picked a hell of a time to make that decision," said General Grimshaw, "After how poorly we handled the White Cell attacks, he'll have no problem convincing mutants that they aren't safe in this world."

Few contested the General's assessment. Even fewer took any comfort in these disturbing answers that Wanda had provided them. As soon as she arrived at NORAD with X-Force, she convinced President Kelly and General Grimshaw to let them in.

They opened the blast doors to the bunker and were escorted by armed MSA operatives to the control room where they could address both the President and the leaders of the world tuning in through an encrypted video link. She told them everything she told X-Force regarding Asteroid M. For some, it was too fantastic to believe. Since it involved Magneto, the lines of impossibility were heavily blurred.

For Professor Xavier and the X-men, such revelations were coupled with a bittersweet reunion. Their recent clash with X-Force was still fresh in their minds, yet here they were. Scott, Emma, Domino, Logan, and Kurt each maintained a vigilant stance. It was so awkward that it was almost a relief that they were surrounded by the MSA. Xavier was left in a difficult position along with Jean, Hank, Ororo, Rogue, Remy, Betsy, and Piotr.

"I don't like this, Professor. It feels wrong on way too many levels," said Jean.

"You're in good company, sugah. Asteroid M sounds like another one of Magneto's plans that's just bound to go horribly wrong," said Rogue.

"He really made a new world out of an asteroid?" commented Betsy, "You gotta hand it to the bloke. He's an overachiever to a degree that's utterly _mental_."

"Asteroid M isn't what bothers me if you can believe that," Jean went on, "First we find out that X-Force has been hiding Wanda in Nova Roma. Now they're here, making themselves completely vulnerable while they share this with us."

"Would you rather they make us fight for it?" asked Piotr.

"Hell no, but it just feels…wrong," she said distantly.

"Well for something this crazy, it really don't make sense to take sides," said Remy.

"He's right, Jean. This is on a scale that transcends the Mutant Monitoring Initiative," said Ororo.

"Assume there's more to it than we've been told, X-men. I sense that X-Force has already accepted that," said Professor Xavier as he digested these revelations, "I've known Erik to go to great lengths before. This certainly qualifies, but in a very different way."

The Professor navigated through the armed security personnel so he could get closer to Wanda and X-Force. The President and the General kept plenty of armed buffer between them, having no fewer than a dozen armed operatives pointing their weapons towards their unexpected guests. While Wanda revealing the extent of Asteroid M, Hank worked with a number of analysts to fit the story into what little they knew beforehand.

"Hank, where are we with tracking?" asked Professor Xavier.

"We've been coordinating with Russian and Japanese defense networks to triangulate the source of the magnetic disturbance. We've successfully repositioned a number of spy satellites into a new orientation," said Hank from one of the computer terminals, "We now have a much clearer picture of this source and it fits Wanda's descriptions. It is most definitely Asteroid M."

"So he carved a new world out of the same rock he once used to try and destroy us," surmised Captain Freeman, "Refresh my memory. Is that irony or just plain fucked up?"

"It doesn't matter what we call it. That asteroid was the size of Texas and extremely rich in iron," said Hank as he displayed an image on the screen for everyone to see, "Logistically speaking, it is the perfect canvas for Magneto to create such a world."

"Something this big would require more than a few fancy magnetic tricks," said President Kelly, "How the hell could he pull this off without us detecting it? Moreover, how the hell could he get into space to reach it?"

"Magneto is a resourceful man, Mr. President. Getting into space when he had Genoshan technology at his disposal isn't as outlandish as it sounds," said the Professor.

"In addition, the orbit of that asteroid was quite erratic," noted Hank, "For a while it was outside the orbit of the moon. Even if he were utilizing vast quantities of magnetic energy, it would have been difficult to detect."

"Plus, we had plenty of shit to deal with here on Earth," said Logan, "Hell, we did him a favor by turning against each other."

"That was _your_ doing! Not ours!" retorted Captain Freeman.

"Of course, because you guys were _so_ reasonable about turning mutants into a bureaucracy," said Domino dryly.

"Please, let's not get into _that_ argument right now," said Professor Xavier, "Our primary concern is Magneto. Wanda has given us some important if not audacious information. We must now decide what we're going to do with it."

Professor Xavier shoved his way past one of the MSA operatives so he could get closer to Wanda. They were reluctant at first, but General Grimshaw waved him down. He had dealt with Wanda in the past. Despite plenty of missteps, there was still a level of trust between them. They needed that trust if they were to formulate a plan.

"Wanda, I know you didn't come here just to share facts. I'm also certain that X-Force isn't tagging along out of curiosity," Xavier told her, "Your father's action worry you. They worry me too."

"Don't fane for me empathy, Professor," said Wanda strongly, "I didn't come here for you. I came here for _everybody_. I know my father has made many enemies and few of you would hesitate to kill him if you had the chance."

"With all due respect, Miss Maximoff…your father has committed many crimes for which he's shown no remorse," said President Kelly, "Some of them have been personal. My own son is proof of that."

"If you're expecting me to apologize for him, then you're wasting your time. I won't because I can't," said Wanda, "I know the kind of man my father is. I have supported him in the past, but I don't agree with _everything_ he's done. This is one instance where the potential for destruction is just too great."

" _Does this mean you'll assist us in confronting Magneto?"_ asked the President of China.

" _You are his daughter. You are in the best position to stop such destruction,"_ said the Prime Minister of Israel.

"You're right and I have no intention of avoiding that responsibility," she said, "However, I don't believe my father's intentions are as malicious as you all think. In fact, he may not even be the one pulling the strings this time."

" _You dare paint Magneto as a victim?"_ scoffed the Defense Minister of Saudi Arabia, _"That man has terrorized this world in too many ways! He is undeserving of sympathy!"_

"I won't try to convince you people that my father is innocent. I just need you to believe me when I say that any random attack on Asteroid M won't work. Like it or not, I'm your only shot at getting to him. My father expects me to join him. I don't intend on disappointing him, but I don't intend on going in without a plan. That's where X-Force comes in. That's where you come in as well…if you're willing to give me a chance."

Wanda spoke with force and poise. Her experience as ruler of Genosha showed. The President and the dozens of other leaders watching through the video link were dubious, but she had significant leverage working in her favor. She knew more about Asteroid M than anyone. She had proven in the past that she could work with the rest of the world in a way that Magneto couldn't. The idea of launching ballistic missiles at the problem seemed like a waste. As disconcerting as it may be, Wanda was their best bet.

"You're lucky we have very few options, Miss Maximoff. Otherwise we would exhaust them before trusting you with this," said President Kelly begrudgingly.

"I hope that wasn't as coarse as it sounded, Mr. President," said Wanda strongly.

"You'll have to excuse us. We're all a little on edge here," said General Grimshaw, who silently urged President Kelly to hold his tongue, "You say you want us to be part of this backup plan you mentioned. What exactly does that entail?"

"Well for one, I need assurance that no one will launch an attack of any kind on Asteroid M," said Wanda, "If you don't trust me on anything else, trust me when I say that it will only make everything worse."

"That's asking a lot. You want us to throw in a gold-plated Hummer while we're at it?" asked Captain Freeman.

"I'll also need you to absolve X-Force of their role in this and all previous exploits," said Wanda as she gestured towards X-Force, "I know they're criminals under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, but they can't have that label if we're to move forward."

"Does that include Warpath?" asked Professor Xavier.

"It includes _all_ of X-Force," said Wanda strongly.

"Sounds like they made quite an impression," commented General Grimshaw, "Is this your way of thanking them for hiding you?"

"I have my reasons," she said as she briefly glanced towards Kurt, "Right now, I trust them more than I trust any of you because they have much more to lose."

"We're also more likable. You people have become _far_ too hostile since the Mutant Monitoring Initiative passed," commented Emma.

"Be careful with your words, Miss Frost. Your presence here has already cast plenty of suspicion on the Academy of Tomorrow," said President Kelly sternly, "I'm starting to question the role we've had your school play in the initiative."

"If you continue to belittle us, you'll have far greater worries," said Wanda, "These are my terms. I'm willing to be flexible in some areas, but for any plan to work we need to draw a few lines. Is that clear?"

President Kelly and General Grimshaw stared down this powerful young woman. She definitely had her father's poiseShe also sincerely believed that something was wrong with her father that went beyond his usual megalomania. They had to give her the benefit of the doubt if they were to have any influence in this conflict. President Kelly turned towards the General, who merely nodded to convey his sentiment.

"We're clear, Miss Maximoff," said President Kelly, trying to hide his bitterness, "I'll call the Attorney General. He'll pull some legal wizardry to get X-Force off the hook."

"Really? It's _that_ easy?" said Domino.

"Could've saved us all a lot of trouble if you pulled your head out of your ass sooner," said Logan.

"Don't push it, X-Force! This deal is contingent on your ability to cooperate. So it's in your best interests to be _professional_ ," said the President firmly.

"By professional I hope you don't mean submissive," said Emma Frost dryly, "That would defeat the purpose in more than one way."

"Vould you be careful vith your choice of words, Emma? You're not helping," said Kurt under his breath.

"Call it whatever you want. You'll still be on a very short leash," added General Grimshaw, "I think I speak for all our global guests when I say the tolerance for slip-ups here is extremely low."

" _More like non-existent,"_ said the President of Egypt, _"Do not assume we won't consider alternatives even as we're agreeing to this madness."_

" _We all expected more from the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. It is in all our best interest if you and your friends in X-Force pick up the slack, Miss Maximoff,"_ said the President of Russia.

"We fully intend to do our part," said Scott, addressing all the world leaders through a video link, "We only ask that you give us a chance so we don't have to improvise."

"Is that a warning, Summers? Because usually you're a lot more subtle about it," scoffed Captain Freeman.

"Seeing as how we can't fully trust one another, we should expect a certain level of paranoia," said Wanda, "I'm hoping that Charles Xavier and his X-men will keep that to a minimum. Whatever your history, recent or otherwise, I trust that he'll make those _improvisions_ Cyclops mentioned unnecessary."

The attention turned to Charles Xavier, who would be in the most awkward of positions with this endeavor. Not only would he have to work with Wanda Maximoff again, he would also have to work with some of the students he alienated with the Mutant Monitoring Initiative.

Scott, Emma, and Logan avoided eye-contact with him. Xavier could sense them closing off their thoughts as well, showing that they did not trust him with their minds anymore. He would have to earn back that trust and this mission would be the best way of doing so.

Turning back towards his X-men, Xavier sensed that they had already set the politics aside. Jean, Ororo, Rogue, Remy, Betsy, and Piotr were all eager to work with their friends again. They felt better about confronting this threat as a team, even if there were still bitter divisions to contend with.

"I hope you're not overthinking this, Charles. Policies aside, our choice is clear," said Ororo.

"A clear choice is often no different than limited options," sighed Xavier.

"Hope you don't hold it against us, Chuck. We didn't come here to put you on the spot...not entirely anyways," said Logan with a smirk.

"None of us can afford to be petty right now," he said, "If this is Magneto's ultimate backup plan, then we must assume he's leaving nothing to chance. If there are other forces involved, then we'll need all the manpower we can get to counter it."

"What kind of _other forces_ could we be dealing with here, Professor?" asked Piotr.

Xavier and Wanda exchanged glances. That was the burning question that they had both been contemplating. They didn't agree on much, but they each believed that something was amiss with this situation.

Before they could begin to speculate, the whole room was overcome by a wave of interference. All the video links and communications equipment became awash with static. It was so loud that many of the technicians and officers had to take off their headphones.

"Ahh! The hell happened to the feed?" exclaimed one of the communications officers.

" _Link…can't hear…something overriding,"_ said various video links all over the screen.

"Oh dear. I'm getting a very ominous sense of déjà vu," said Hank as he looked over some of the terminals.

"You just _had_ to jinx it. Didn't you, Pete?" said Betsy with folded arms.

"Does this mean what I think it means?" said the President.

"I'm afraid so, Mr. President," said Hank as he worked with the communications team to make sense of the interference, "It appears Magneto is preparing to make his presence known. It's just like the feed he used the last time he announced the incoming asteroid."

"Where is it broadcasting from?" asked General Grimshaw as he and Captain Freeman rushed to the terminals.

"The same place anyone with an ego and a message go to send a message…Times Square," said Hank as he quickly deciphered the data.

The activity in the control room quickly became more urgent. Officers scrambled to filter out the interference while President Kelly worked with General Grimshaw to get a line open to their allies. The X-men surrounded Hank at one of the terminals, hoping to get a view of what Magneto's latest message entailed.

The MSA and NORAD MPs kept a firm eye on X-Force, not letting them move from where they were standing. Professor Xavier lingered close by, still separated by a barrier of armed personnel. He maintained a close visual on Wanda, Scott, Logan, Domino, Emma, and Kurt. They each seemed to expect this moment. Now they had to confront it together despite bitter divisions.

"It appears we're about to find out how right our suspicions are, Xavier," said Wanda.

"I sense you're hoping we're wrong, at least in part," Xavier pointed out.

"It would be a lot easier if we were. If not, then my plan to confront my father will only become more dangerous."

 **New York City – Times Square**

Vargas had never been one for sight-seeing. Since becoming a mutant, every sight took on a greater meaning. Now he was a part of something that was so much larger than himself. It filled him with a sense of purpose that he had never known. That purpose continued to grow as he helped carry out the next phase in Magneto and Dr. Wyndham's vision. The Church of Humanity was just a stepping stone. Now they were ready for the next great leap.

" _Is it ready, Vargas?"_ said a deep voice into an ear-piece.

"The hardware Dr. Wyndham gave me is booting up. You're set to deliver your message in thirty seconds," replied Vargas through his transceiver.

" _Excellent. Stand by for the most important broadcast in the history of the human race."_

Vargas grinned at the prospects. He looked around at the crowded streets of Time Square. It was late in the afternoon and the evening rush was just beginning to settle in. Having taken a subway from the Church of Humanity into downtown Manhattan, he quietly prepared a setup using some advanced Warlock equipment that Dr. Wyndham provided him. He disguised himself as a utility worker and entered the sewers where he installed the Warlock tech right into the communication lines that fed into NBC studios. From here, he got to exercise his new powers to their fullest.

Now standing in the middle of Time Square at a special electrical service station, Vargas utilized the talents that Dr. Wyndham had given him. Becoming a mutant was a truly life-changing experience. He didn't just possess enhanced strength, agility, and awareness. He also possessed the unique mutant power to intercept certain electromagnetic frequencies and redirect them.

It didn't just allow him to eavesdrop on cell phone communications. It allowed him to tap a broad range of signals and manipulate them on a whim. It also allowed him to play an important role in this historic moment.

' _These powers are so invigorating! I can feel every electronic transmission in the air as if it were an echo. Magneto needs to send his message to every medium that will receive it. For this, I am truly blessed.'_

Grinning to himself, Vargas took off his disguise helmet and utility gloves. He then reached into the electronic box and grasped the wires with his fist. Sparks started flying. Some pedestrians across the street noticed this and looked on curiously. Their curiosity was quickly diverted by something much grander as the Warlock device under the street became active.

"We're ready, Magneto. The world is ready to receive your message!" Vargas proclaimed as the sparks flew around him.

As he said this, every major monitor in Times Square became awash with static. Every pedestrian with a phone suddenly received an incoming transmission. It was a scene that quickly filtered to every part of the world that was capable of receiving such a signal.

"Hey! What's happening to the big screen?" asked a young woman as she looked up at the Time Square monitor.

"What's with my phone? This better not be some fancy new spyware!" said a man in a suit as he exited a cab.

"I don't think it's just your phone," said the cab driver as he and many others got out of their cars.

"I don't think it's just phones either. Look!" said a middle-aged woman as she pointed up into the sky.

Confusion escalated as the signal spread. That confusion quickly turned to terror as many in Time Square looked up to see a strange scene unfolding above. Through the thick overcast, the ominous figure of Magneto emerged. Around him were eight large spheres of Warlock material.

Those spheres were once the bunkers that housed the Brotherhood and the former citizens of Genosha. With this same technology, he received the signals from Vargas and transmitted them through every major communication spectrum all over the world. Once he was fully attuned, Magneto ordered the Warlock spheres to form cameras so that his image could be broadcast along with his message.

" _Greetings, humans and fellow mutants alike," he said in his powerful tone, "I know it's been a while since I've made my presence known. I also know that whenever I address the world, it's usually to deliver a message of doom and domination. Well, that is not the case this time. Instead, I have a message of hope. This world is in shambles. Recent events have revealed that the authorities of this world are no longer capable of protecting their citizens. These same authorities have ravaged ecosystems, plundered resources, and put every soul on it in grave danger. It has made my most recent endeavor all the more important because in the time I've been gone, I've realized something profound. I was wrong."_

This admission alone was enough to trigger gasps from the many viewers below. Magneto could sense the gasps all over the world, even as Vargas used his powers to translate his message into various languages. It was a difficult admission to make, but for once he needed to show humility as well as strength.

" _For years, I've preached the superiority of mutant kind. I've condemned humanity as a race doomed to extinction in a world that is rapidly decaying. I now realize that it doesn't have to be this way. Humanity can share in the evolution of our kind. That is why I have worked tirelessly to develop a new process using what some may know as Mutant Growth Hormone. This process can change an ordinary human into a full-blooded mutant. If you're a human who feels weak, desponded, or rejected I open my arms to you. I am granting you a chance to become part of a new generation. You won't just gain a new status in the evolutionary hierarchy. You'll gain a new home as well."_

Magneto issued a command to the Warlock interface. It broadcasted a new image to be displayed to the world. It was a picturesque image of Asteroid M as it orbited in space. He made sure it looked as awe-inspiring as possible. He wanted to make sure that every human that saw it would be eager to live there.

" _As we speak, this new home orbits above us in the same asteroid that once came close to dooming this world. I call it Asteroid M. From it, I have carved a new world and a new ecosystem for which this new generation can thrive. As with Genosha, I welcome any mutant to join. Unlike Genosha, I will welcome a limited number of humans as well. You may join your mutant brethren in this new world, provided you undergo the process that will make you one of us. You will be reborn into a new society. I offer this as a means of escape from a world that has lost its way."_

As the master of magnetism delivered this message, images of Asteroid M's lush landscape were broadcasted all over the world. It included images of City X and shots of the former citizens of Genosha enjoying their new surroundings. Those images were meant to instill a sense of hope and longing rather than fear and dread. Once the streams of scenery had passed, the feed returned to Magneto.

" _This choice is open to all of humanity. Those who reject it and prefer to stay in this world will not be condemned. Those who choose to embrace it will begin a new life. After I complete this message, I will send fifty pods to all corners of the globe. These pods can fit a maximum of 20,000 humans. In all, one million will be allowed to join Asteroid M initially. For those who are unable to board them, fear not. You will not be the last. In approximately 24 hours, these pods will ascend to Asteroid M where they will join with the other mutants that choose to be part of this world as well. The entire process shall be done peacefully. Those who attempt to threaten humans or mutants who wish to enter the pods will be dealt with swiftly and harshly. Those who hurt others in an attempt to join shall be rejected. I'll leave it to the people and the governments of the world to decide how they shall deal with this. I only ask that you decide wisely. Asteroid M will not be a source of your destruction. But rest assured it will outlast this broken world."_

Magneto said these words with complete confidence. It sounded like a warning. Such a warning was already triggering commotion throughout Times Square. Magneto sounded like a very different man compared to the unapologetic mutant supremacist they knew so well. It led some to question this message of his, but what he offered was far too appealing to outright reject.

" _As I leave you to choose, I shall broadcast the coordinates of all fifty pods to the internet for those who seek them. I shall also broadcast a separate message for mutants who wish to leave this inept world. Since I know the governments of the world are watching, I have for them only one message…stay out of my way. And since I'm equally sure that my daughter, Wanda, is watching I have a message for her as well…I'll be waiting. I trust that you and millions of others will make the right decision."_

The broadcast ended, leaving a stunned yet conflicted global population. Magneto expected a wide range of reactions. He stood ready to confront every one of them. Still hovering high above Times Square, he focused his powers and issued new commands to the Warlock technology surrounding him. With a strong gesture, he sent them higher into the sky where they joined up with other dark spheres of Warlock material. From there, they all dispersed to their specified coordinates where eager participants would await.

As the scene played out above, the commotion throughout Times Square intensified. Vargas had a front row seat to this historic moment. As he finished broadcasting the message through major internet channels, he saw people already scrambling throughout the streets reacting to this powerful message in a variety of ways.

"That's it! I'm getting a shotgun and locking myself in the basement! Ain't no way this isn't one of Magneto's global attacks!" said an old man as he got back into his car and sped off.

"Dude! I just got a message on my phone," said a young man, "One of those pods is landing in Central Park!"

"Does anyone have a cell phone that _doesn't_ have a dead battery!" exclaimed a teenage girl, "I need to call my dad at Hope Memorial Hospital! He needs to know that we may have a way to cure his ALS!"

"I wonder if that Asteroid M place has booze," said a ragged homeless man from across the street, "If so, then sign me up!"

The streets and the traffic quickly became chaotic. Several cars drove over the sidewalks in an effort to avoid the traffic. Magneto had stoked something much more powerful than fear. He presented hope to a world that had become so vulnerable and many were willing to take any chance in order to escape it.

Vargas kept smiling to himself as he let go of the transmission conduits. Everything was going exactly as Magneto and Dr. Wyndham had planned. The next step would be the most complicated. He and the rest of Asteroid M were about to find out just how desperate these people were to embrace what they once hated and feared.

' _And so it begins. Now it is up to Dr. Wyndham to prepare the Brotherhood for what we're about to confront.'_

 **Asteroid M – Magneto's Citadel**

Magneto's broadcast to the world was heard far and wide. Dr. Wyndham made sure of it from a lab area buried deep inside the Citadel. It was where the tour for the Brotherhood ended.

Frenzy led them throughout the elaborate structure, showing them how much greater this citadel was compared to the one on Genosha. She made sure she got them to Dr. Wyndham's lab just in time for the broadcast. It left Alex, Pietro, Pyro, Mellencamp, Blob, and Unus in a conflicted state. It was a very different message compared to Magneto's previous ploys. It left some intrigued and others suspicious.

"Crikey! That brush with death must have softened up the big boss. He sounds like a completely different bloke," commented Pyro as the feed from Dr. Wyndham's monitors was cut.

"I'd say it's an improvement," said Mellencamp, "Threatening the world with doom and destruction certainly hasn't worked before."

"That doesn't mean this will," argued Unus.

"Even if it does, Mags sounded a few sandwiches short of a snack," commented Blob, "You sure he ain't crazy?"

"Doesn't sound any crazier than usual," shrugged Pyro, showing his approval of this plan already.

"That's not an unreasonable question to ask, Blob," said Alex, who was among those with lingering suspicions.

"Normally, I would give you both a supersonic slap upside the head for calling my dad crazy. This time, I'm a little torn," said the speedster.

"What's the big deal? I thought you guys would actually appreciate this," said Frenzy, "This means you won't have as much fighting to do. It's not like you guys were all that good at it in the first place."

Pietro scolded the former soldier angrily. Since she got caught up in this by accident, Frenzy did not have a lot of trust on the part of the Brotherhood. Trust seemed to be the primary source of contention, especially after hearing Magneto's message.

"You're new at this, Frenzy. So I'll skip the part where I point out how much I don't appreciate insults out of common courtesy," said Pietro dryly.

"Oh did I hurt your feeling?" mocked Frenzy, "Get over yourself, Pietro."

"It's not just him you should worry about," said Alex, who had to hold Pietro back before he attacked Frenzy, "I like to think we have legitimate reasons to be concerned."

"I also like to think I know my own father," spat Pietro with heightened emotion, "He has a _long_ list of flaws, but he's always been a man of conviction. One of those convictions involves a _very_ low opinion of humanity."

"I won't say I know Magneto any better, but he's always been pretty adamant," added Blob, "He'll negotiate with humans. Hell, he'll even compromise from time to time. But he'll never _embrace_ them. It's just not his style."

"Why can't it be? People change," shrugged Dr. Wyndham.

"Not my father! He's too damned arrogant to change this much!" said Pietro sternly.

"Perhaps you don't know your father as well as you think you do. Your own arrogance may be clouding your judgment."

"You better choose your words more carefully, _Doctor_! You're commanding a lot of trust and I find it pretty fucked up that you're getting it!" scolded the speedster.

"Seeing as how I designed Asteroid M and synthesized entire ecosystems that fill it, I say I've earned it," said Dr. Wyndham strongly, "Just look around at what you're a part of. Does this not earn me a certain amount of credibility?"

It was hard to contest this point after having seen the sheer scale of Asteroid M. Dr. Wyndham spared few details, describing how he and Magneto utilized Warlock technology along with his decades of research to create this world. The Brotherhood did not hide their astonishment. It was as vast as it was beautiful. In many ways it felt too good to be true and that only fueled their suspicions.

Dr. Wyndham understood that, which was why he saved his lab for the final leg of the tour. The area had been built one of many major sub-levels within Asteroid M. Like everything else, it quite vast. Volume wise, it was the size of a football stadium and arranged into multiple levels that contained various scientific equipment. Some levels were reserved for tinkering with Warlock technology. Others were reserved for computer hardware.

The lowermost level was reserved for his biological research. This was the research that made all those ecosystems possible. It was also the research that perfected MGH. Now it would have to be the key to earning the Brotherhood's trust.

"Irrespective of such arrogance, I'm not an unreasonable man," Dr. Wyndham went on, "I understand that while I've long since earned Magneto's trust, I've yet to earn yours. So I've prepared a little something that I think should help."

"If it's an all-you-can-eat buffet, that will earn you some points in my book," grinned Blob.

"Oh please, you'll trust anyone who gives you a free donut," scoffed Mellencamp.

"Well my standards are a bit higher," said Pietro, still showing hostility towards Dr. Wyndham, "You haven't even _tried_ to convince us that giving a million humans mutant powers is a good idea. You really think you can bribe your way out of it?"

"I have no intention of avoiding your concerns. However, if you're going to take me seriously, I know I'll have to provide you with a good reason to do so. Follow me and you'll see what I mean."

Dr. Wyndham gestured for the Brotherhood to follow him towards the south end of the lab where there appeared to be a series of elaborate containment chambers. Pietro remained the most reluctant, but he followed the rest of the Brotherhood. They were curious about what else this man had to offer. He already presented them with some pretty compelling reasons after showing them this elaborate space station. Given all the hardware he had, he was certainly capable of more.

As the Brotherhood followed him, they passed by a series of elaborate bio tanks as well. Each tank contained various samples of the diverse plants and animals that inhabited Asteroid M. Some looked alive, hovering in suspended animation. Others looked dead or mutilated, most likely failed prototypes. It was amazing that one man could create so much advanced life, let alone carve a world out of an asteroid.

He seemed particularly excited as he led them to a large cylindrical bio tank in a corner. It was filled with yellowish liquid, which surrounded a humanoid figure. As Dr. Wyndham approached it, he turned to Frenzy and nodded.

"Prepare the bio-aetheric synthesis, Frenzy. It's time for our star specimen to awaken," said Dr. Wyndham.

"I was hoping you would get to this sooner. It might have saved me some serious frustration from Maximoff here," said Frenzy as she manned a computer terminal that was adjacent to the tank.

"Keep talking, Frenzy. You may just make me compensate," quipped Pietro, "Assuming this _reason_ the good doctor mentioned isn't bullshit."

"Oh I assure you it's as legitimate as you could possibly hope for," said Dr. Wyndham confidently, "It went a long way with Magneto. I'm certain it will go just as far with you."

"Depends on what it is," said Alex curiously as he took a closer look at the tank, "Is this another one of your exotic creatures?"

"There's nothing exotic about this. I understand that I could show you the entire universe and that would still only marginally impress you. In order to earn your trust, I understand I must add a _personal_ touch."

There was a certain wryness to his tone that Alex and Pietro found unsettling. He continued to ignore their harsh gazes and turned towards the bio tank. A strange smile formed on his face as Frenzy worked the controls. Within moments, the yellowish liquid within the tube was drained by a pump.

As it drained it revealed the obscured figure. When Pietro and Alex saw who it was they gasped in astonishment. The shock quickly spread throughout the Brotherhood.

"Well I'll be a dingo's half-eaten baby," said Pyro with a grin.

"Lorna!" exclaimed Pietro as he ran up to the bio tank, "I swear on everything holy I'll kill you if this is a sick joke!"

"You can dispense your homicidal impulses. It's really her," said Dr. Wyndham, "You're looking at the real Lorna Dane."

"I knew it! I knew she couldn't be dead!" exclaimed Alex as he ran up to the bio tank as well.

"Well, she sure as hell looked like it when we last we saw her," said Blob.

"She may have been dead had I not detected her unfortunate outburst in New Orleans," said Dr. Wyndham, "It happened while I was treating Magneto for the mental damage he suffered under the Cambrian. I needed his help to carve out Asteroid M and he wasn't going to be motivated without _significant_ incentive. The way I saw it, saving Lorna would give him more than enough reason to regain his composure."

"But how is it even possible?" asked Pietro as he recalled all the grim details, "We scanned every square inch of that place! Everyone even Xavier told us Lorna was a goner!"

"They weren't completely wrong. For all intents and purposes, Lorna was no more," said Dr. Wyndham, "In a more scientific sense, the machine the Mutant Liberation Front used on her caused every cell in her body to phase shift from normal matter to a complex array of electromagnetic radiation. While technically still intact, she was not among the living."

"I flunked biology in school so I won't even pretend to understand what that means," said Alex as he gazed longingly at Lorna, "I just need to know she's okay."

"Oh she'll be the same woman you remember," assured Dr. Wyndham, "I used Magneto's unique electromagnetic signature to locate Lorna's. Once I found it, I captured it in a capacitor. While I couldn't phase shift her body back to its original form, I was able to use the information within the signature to reconstruct her body, cell by cell. I kept her in stasis to ensure that she healed. Now that you're here, I think she's ready to wake up."

Dr. Wyndham signaled Frenzy, who entered the final command. That opened the glass doors on the bio tank. Now that the liquid was fully drained, Lorna's limp body keeled over. Pietro and Alex quickly caught her. She was wearing some sort of black body suit, which was hooked into a series of wires. As the wires disconnected from the suit, she seemed to receive a jolt that roused her from her long slumber.

"Hnn…Alex…look out," she groaned in a raspy tone.

"Take it easy, sis. You're not in New Orleans anymore," said Pietro as he and Alex carefully sat her down.

"But…what about Toad? The machine?" she said breathlessly.

"Wow…you've got a _lot_ to catch up on," said Alex, his voice quickly becoming strained with emotion.

Lorna slowly adjusted to the feeling of being conscious again. Now sitting with her back against the bio tank, she looked up see Pietro and Alex kneeling over her. They both looked very relieved to see her. She also noticed Pyro, Blob, Mellencamp, and another mutant she hadn't met yet standing behind them. They all seemed amazed by her presence as well. Clearly, she had definitely missed something.

"Ungh…my head feels strange," she groaned.

"After everything you've been through, you're lucky that's all you're feeling," said Pietro.

"I'll have to take your word for it," said Lorna as Alex and Pietro helped her to her feet, "Where exactly are we? This doesn't feel like Genosha."

Alex looked over towards Pietro. Then he looked back towards the Brotherhood before turning to Dr. Wyndham. Showing them Asteroid M and the Ditadel had been a statement of sorts. Bringing Lorna back to them like this was an entirely different statement. It was his way of earning their trust. As he embraced Lorna's warmth once more, he had no problem admitting that it worked.

"We're home, Lorna," said Alex, his sentiment now fully shared with the Brotherhood, "This is Asteroid M…the new home of the mutant race."

 **Andrews Air Force Base – Holding Cell**

"Civil unrest…mass chaos…and rampant fear," summarized James Proudstar from inside his confined prison cell, "Sounds like a typical Tuesday for Magneto."

In many ways James was both lucky and unlucky. As soon as Ororo left, the silence became more deafening. It was painfully apparent that something big was about to happen. It didn't take long for the details to emerge.

Inside his cell, the only window he had to the outside world was an old TV. When Magneto broadcasted his message all over the world, his TV actually turned itself on so he could hear what the rest of the world heard. Being in a prison cell meant he was fairly insulated against the madness it was sure to cause. It also meant he couldn't do anything about it.

James had since muted the TV because all the reports were the same. Reactions to Magneto's message had triggered widespread chaos all over the world. Various mutant communities all over the world were being abandoned, including District X. Countless humans were scrambling to get to the pods before they filled up. Some attacked those trying to get to the pods as traitors. Certain governments tried to cordon off the area so none of their citizens could leave them.

However, their lack of manpower from the White Cell attack made that all but impossible. This was a different kind of threat from Magneto and it had the potential to do make the largest impact yet.

"Gotta hand it to you, Magneto. You've gone beyond screwing up the world to screwing with peoples' minds," said James as he stared distantly at the TV, "You don't sound insane, but you sure act like it. What the endgame here? Make sure the world is so divided that it can't fight back? I sure hope X-Force or the X-men find a way to put you in a prison cell just like this one."

James continued watching images of riots and angry debates stream across the TV. His thoughts quickly drifted towards X-Force and the X-men. Ororo seemed to imply that the MSA was already poised to do something about it. He had a sickening feeling that it wouldn't go smoothly since operations against Magneto rarely did. As he pondered all the ways it could go wrong, the door to his cell opened. James stood up as two armed MSA operatives and a neatly dressed middle-aged woman walked in.

"James Proudstar, aka Warpath," said the woman, "My name is Marjorie Gillen. I'm here on behalf of the Attorney General."

"You about to offer me a last meal?" said Warpath, "Because I had a big breakfast."

"Actually, I'm here to inform you that you've been conditionally pardoned," she said, "As of this moment, the charges against you and all records of them are henceforth nullified."

The Native American mutant looked at the woman with a raised eyebrow.

"Okay, that's great news and all, but why the change of heart? Was President Kelly drunk or something?" he asked.

"I'm not at liberty to discuss the details," she said in a flat tone.

"I'll take that as a maybe," said James with a sneer.

"However, I _am_ at liberty to discuss the conditions I mentioned," she went on, "This pardon is contingent on your participation in a joint X-men/MSA operation. Refusal to participate will invalidate the pardon."

"In other words, I have to go along with whatever plan President Kelly and his buddies concoct or I stay in jail. That makes it a _much_ tougher choice than it ought to be."

"Who said this was his plan to begin with?"

"That implies someone is playing him," James surmised, "The list of people in that is extremely short."

"Then you don't need me to help you figure it out. I just need you to make this official so I can go home and barricade myself with my family."

Miss Gillen reached into her briefcase and pulled out a leather binder with the official White House seal on the cover. She opened it to reveal a series of notarized letters, giving official status to this _conditional_ pardon of his. She handed a copy to one of the guards and another to James. He didn't bother reading over the legalese. The timing and circumstances of this development led him to a few apparent conclusions.

"I knew you guys wouldn't let me sit this one out," he said with a grin.

"So you agree to the conditions?" asked Miss Gillen.

"Rotting in prison versus confronting Magneto may be a no-win situation for some, but for a warrior it might as well be a godsend. I'm in!"

"Good, that means we can get out of here," she said impatiently.

Miss Gillen signaled the two MSA guards. They each proceeded to use their special keys to unlock James's power inhibiting collar. Once it was deactivated, Warpath swiftly ripped it off. He was as eager to get back to the front lines of this conflict as Miss Gillen was to avoid it.

"There's a chartered jet plane waiting outside," she told him, "You're set to leave in ten minutes. You'll receive additional briefing on route to the destination that President Kelly wouldn't disclose."

"Any chance I can get my uniform back? I'd rather not face Magneto in prison garb," said the Native American mutant.

"It's already on the plane. You should be too. If we both do our jobs from here on out, then this is the last time our paths will have to cross."

 **Colorado Springs – NORAD**

It was exceedingly rare when Professor Xavier, General Grimshaw, and President Kelly were in full agreement during a crisis. It was even rarer when such a crisis was on a global scale. Magneto's latest global triggered many different reactions. It wasn't a typical crisis by any stretch. At the same time, it was a crisis in which everyone seemed to share the same sentiment that Wanda had expressed. It felt very wrong.

The emergency meeting amongst the allied countries abruptly ended. Every government had to scramble to deal with the effects of Magneto's latest ploy. They had to mobilize whatever limited forces they had to maintain order. Some were inclined to use those forces to prevent their citizens from joining Magneto on Asteroid M. It was sure to get messy and the United States would not be immune from it. Once the video links were shut down, President Kelly started coordinating with the Joint Chiefs on a response.

"Set up a secure link to the National Guard and every State Police department. I want full reports from every state and every major city on the hour," said President Kelly as he was escorted from the control room.

"We've started mobilizing regional units," reported the Secretary of Defense, "They're tracking the location of the transport orbs as we speak. They'll have the area surrounded within the hour."

"That's still not saying much, Mr. President," said one of the Joint Chiefs, "Defense forces on all levels are still under-equipped. If a large number of people show up at these sites, we may not be able to hold them back."

"There's also the touchy matter of maintaining our forces overseas," said the Secretary of State, "Some have already been brought home to pick up the slack. Others are staying because if we pull too many troops out of the fire, it could cause a diplomatic mess."

"Diplomacy is the least of our worries now," said Mr. President.

"I wouldn't go that far, sir," said another one of the Joint Chiefs, "If we start abandoning allies, it could undermine treaties and cause greater fragmentation."

"Keep in mind that Magneto didn't threaten to destroy the world this time," said the Secretary of Defense, "We shouldn't adopt an every-man-for-themselves mentality just yet. We'll still have a country and a world to govern."

"I have a gut feeling we're closer than we think," mused President Kelly, "The onus is on Professor Xavier and Wanda Maximoff to prove it wrong."

"With all due respect, Mr. President. You're placing a lot of trust in them," said the Secretary of State, "Are you just going to trust them to confront Magneto and hope they find something damning?"

"You heard what Magneto said just as they did. Having stared down Magneto before, I can tell when there's something off. We're _not_ in a position to uncover it through brute force. Since Xavier and Wanda have just as much to lose, we'll all have to place an uncomfortable level of trust in them."

"And if it backfires?" questioned one of the Joint Chiefs.

"We're prepared for that as well," said President Kelly cryptically, "For now, we need to focus on holding the country together. Leave General Grimshaw to take care of the particulars. He understands what's expected of him."

There was a subtle undertone to the President's words. It sounded like a mix of confidence and dread. The crisis had many moving parts and he had to entrust others to handle the finer details. As he left with his staff, President Kelly turned back towards General Grimshaw. He offered a subtle nod to acknowledge the President's expectations. President Kelly nodded back before leaving him to manage the most important part of this bold plan.

"How bad is it going to get, sir?" asked Captain Freeman, who stayed behind with the General.

"That depends on how many bad decisions we end up making," he replied.

"Don't you mean _good_ decisions?"

"In a crisis, it's never a matter of how good your good decisions are. It's how bad your bad decisions turn out to be," the General replied, "That's why we have to limit them. If this really is Magneto's ultimate back-up plan, then the margin for error is _astronomically_ small."

That grim assessment added to the already massive pressure everyone was facing. By now all of NORAD was on high alert. Every uniformed officer and soldier was at their posts, monitoring the situation as it unfolded. Every major news feed was observed. Every site where a transport pod was set to arrive was monitored.

The activity from Asteroid M was heavily scrutinized. Tensions were high as this information filtered to President Kelly and various other officials. The tensions were even higher between the X-men and X-Force, who would have to work together in order to confront the crisis.

While NORAD acted as the eyes and ears of the operation, the MSA and the X-men acted as the muscle. Professor Xavier was already coordinating with Wanda to put her plan into action. The MSA set up a special area of the control room so they could link into the defense network. From here, they coordinated with Hank to set the stage for another confrontation with Magneto.

"For the record, I was highly skeptical, Wanda. I honestly believed that Magneto was genuine with this latest stratagem," said Hank as he helped her establish a special communication link.

"I'm surprised it took so little convincing to change your mind," said Wanda, "I was expecting the President and the General to be just as skeptical."

"They know Magneto better than most. They saw the same subtleties you did," Hank went on, "This message of his contains some inconsistentsubtext,for lack of a better term. It simply doesn't fit with Magneto's usual methods."

"All the more reason to suspect that other forces are at work," said Professor Xavier as he looked at replays of Magneto's broadcast, "Erik's wounds run deep. In all the years I've known him, he's always blamed humanity for inflicting those wounds. I can't see him overlooking them at this point."

"Neither can I. That's why I'm certain something wrong with him…more so than usual," said Wanda.

"As am I," said Xavier in agreement, "Merely tolerating humanity is one thing. Allowing them to join him is a radical step that I just can't see Erik taking."

"It stands to reason that he plans on utilizing some unsaid tactics. Perhaps your return will be the trigger, Wanda," said Hank as he finished creating the link.

"I take it this means you deciphered the signal," Wanda surmised.

"Once again, you were right," said Hank as he rose up from his seat, "There was an encrypted transmission embedded within the message that was sent across the global spectrum. It was addressed solely to you, although it requires a password to unlock."

"That won't be an issue. I already know it," said Wanda as she sat down, "My father always told me that if we got separated, he would find a way to get in touch with me. For all I know, this isn't the first time he's tried."

"So why haven't you attempted to answer until now?" asked Professor Xavier, "What made you stay with X-Force when you could have rejoined your family?"

"I have my reasons," she replied stoically, "But if you insist on pestering me about them, then let's just say that being away from the human/mutant conflict gave me plenty of time to think."

Professor Xavier was tempted to probe further. It sounded like something had really changed within Wanda. She always set herself apart from her father and brother. Yet this was different. She was willing to confront and oppose her father with the very forces that had so often been in her way. Something had definitely happened to her while she was with X-Force.

While Wanda went to work on the terminal, X-Force and the X-men watched on knowing it was only a matter of time before they confronted Magneto. Scott, Logan, Emma, Domino, and Kurt remained surrounded by MSA operatives. They were still under close scrutiny while various officers coordinated with the X-men to set up the ambitious operation.

The mood between the two teams remained tense. Jean, Ororo, Rogue, Remy, Betsy, and Piotr were reluctant to address their former teammates. It didn't help that Rogue noticed Kurt gazing at Wanda somewhat intently.

"You stare any harder at her and you'll burn a hole in her, little brother," commented Rogue, "Do Ah need to point out that this is Magneto's daughter we're dealing with?"

"I'm not staring," said Kurt flatly.

"Kurt, Ah know we've been on different teams for a while, but Ah'm still your sister," she told him.

"Adopted sister," he corrected.

"Don't start gettin' bitter on meh. You ain't very good at it," said Rogue in a more serious tone, "I knew the whole situation with Amanda was wearin' on you before. Now it looks like you're cracking."

"Go easy on him, chere. These ain't the best circumstances for catching up," coaxed Remy, who sensed his girlfriend getting worked up.

"Well Ah'm sorry Ah can't bring mah self to care less when mah brother is eyeing Wanda freakin' Maximoff!" she said, still scolding her brother, "Ah know that look in your eye, Kurt. It's the same look you give a plate of freshly cooked bacon."

"Now that just ain't fair," said Remy as he kept a hand on her shoulder to hold her back.

"Fair nothing! You put yourself in a horrible position with Amanda, Kurt. Please look meh in the eye and tell meh Ah'm just seeing things. It would be a whole lot easier on the both of us."

Rogue sounded desperate for Kurt to prove her wrong. It was the first time she had spoken with him since the Mutant Monitoring Initiative and without saying a word, he sent some disturbing messages. However, the German mutant refused to look his sister in the eye and lie to her. He just remained silent, not taking his eyes off Wanda. Rogue's frustration continued to grow. Then Domino stepped in to help Remy calm her down.

"Ease up on the melodrama, Rogue," Domino urged as she stepped in front of Kurt.

"Don't tell meh you're gonna fend for him, Dom," said Rogue bitterly.

"There are only a handful of areas where I don't push my luck. This is one of them," she said, "A lot has happened since X-Force set up shop. A lot more is bound to happen with Magneto in the picture."

"All the more reason to get this outta the way," Rogue retorted, "It involves the man's daughter for cryin' out loud!"

"Who happens to be our best bet at stopping that same man's crazy plan," added Remy, "Listen to your lady friend pal and your paramour. This ain't the right time."

Rogue's demeanor remained tense. She looked over towards Wanda and then back at Kurt. He finally diverted his gaze and held his head low. It was a silent admission that something had happened between him and Wanda during his time with X-Force. It didn't sit well for a minute, yet she had to stomach it.

"We're gonna talk about this at some point, Kurt," she said to her brother in a low tone.

"I fully expect you to keep bugging me about it, Rogue," replied Kurt, "I vouldn't have it any other way."

His dry remark added to the tensions surrounding both teams. X-Force had done more than just oppose the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. Plenty of other personal dramas had arisen in the meantime. These dramas threatened to undermine the fragile team unity that had once been the X-men's source of strength.

"You guys look like a deer staring at an oncoming truck," commented Logan with folded arms as he stood next to Betsy and Piotr, "Has working for the feds been that bad or are you just pissed you have to trust us again?"

"I see your time with X-Force has not softened your personality, Logan," said Piotr dryly.

"I doubt a three-week cruise in the Bahamas would soften his personality," added Betsy.

"I take it that means it did go bad," he surmised, "Did it start before or after White Cell? There's always a spark that makes you appreciate just how good guys in government uniforms are at screwing you."

"You know in Russia, we say those who assume they are right before they are vindicated end up hanging themselves from a scaffold they build," said Piotr.

"Is there also a saying about ignoring all the warning signs before you walk off a cliff?" quipped Logan in a more serious tone, "I seem to recall warning Chuck that this shit would turn against him. Are you gonna tell me with a straight face that this would be a hell of a lot easier if we weren't so divided over this shit?"

"It didn't have to play out like this, Logan. We all made choices," said Betsy, having to hide a touch of bitterness.

"And who do you think ain't as bitter about the choices they made?" said Logan, "We threw our asses into the fire with X-Force. Some of us even got burned. I'm hoping you paid Warren a visit in between running errands for politicians."

"Don't you _dare_ bring him into this, Logan! I'm warning you!" said Betsy strongly, flashing a psionic blade to further reinforce her point.

"Why are you gettin' mad at me?" said the feral mutant, who remained undaunted, "He made the harder choice and I'll bet you all the adamantium in my bones that he would do it again in a heartbeat. Can either of you say the same?"

Betsy gripped her psionic blade more firmly. She pointed it right at Logan's face, fueled by the emotions surrounding Warren and these harsh criticisms. It was the only response she could muster. She had been among the most vocal supporters of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. It hadn't played out nearly as well as she or anyone for that matter expected. It left her with many bitter feelings to swallow. As she struggled to do so, Piotr coaxed her into lowering the blade.

"You know, I spoke with Kitty before this began," said the Russian mutant, "She asked me the same question. She asked after having said she would have made different choices if she knew what we all know now."

"What did you say to her? Assuming she didn't threaten to lock her panties if you ignored her," said Logan.

"I told her…I don't know," he replied, "However, I get the sense that I will know by the end of this mission. Whether it ends up vindicating your side or not, I hope you won't hold it against us. We're still your friends."

"You ain't gotta worry about that, Ruskie," said Logan with a grin, "I know Kitty will bust your balls enough when this shit is over."

Piotr managed only a partial grin while Betsy stepped back to calm down. Logan may have been critical of their choices, but he was still a friend. He was still willing to fight by their side against a threat this big. X-Force and the X-men had built up plenty of animosity between them. They would have to overcome all of it if they were to get through this.

Some of that animosity was easier to overlook for others. Ororo and Jean had been among those expressing concerns about the Mutant Monitoring Initiative before the White Cell. They weren't afraid to concede that X-Force had been right on a number of levels. That didn't make the complicated emotions between them any easier. Ororo tried distracting herself by helping some NORAD officials coordinate the mission.

"I just received confirmation that James is on his way," said Ororo as she sifted through messages on her phone, "His jet should arrive within a few hours."

"Tell them to use the afterburner if you can," said Scott, who was standing next to Jean and Emma, "Wanda is almost done booking our ride. We need to be ready to mobilize the second everything is in place."

"He'll be here. All the forces of nature couldn't keep him from being part of this mission," said the African mutant, her voice trembling at the prospect of fighting alongside James.

"Don't you sound excited," teased Emma Frost, "Hoping to squeeze in a few _side-missions_ before we depart for Asteroid M?"

"I left his cell not sure if I would see him again. I don't plan on hiding my emotions when the time is appropriate."

"That puts you light-years ahead of Kurt in terms of maturity," added Emma.

"What's the story behind that anyways? Rogue looks like she wants to deck Wanda several times over," asked Jean.

"Why do you need to ask? Can't you pick up on all the thoughts he's projecting?" said Emma with a not-so-subtle taunt in her tone.

"I probably could if you weren't putting up so many psychic defenses," said Jean sternly, "If you want us to trust you, then you should know that keeping secrets is counterproductive."

"Depends on the nature of the secret," shrugged Emma casually, "Does it really bother you _that_ much? Or are you afraid you may uncover some unpleasant revelations about what we've been up to outside your oh so protective embrace?"

"What's that supposed to mean?!" exclaimed Jean.

Her outburst almost surprised Emma. Jean's emotions always ran high. She had to be restrained by Scott, who avoided addressing her since X-Force showed up. Seeing as how he was a major factor behind these emotions, he couldn't afford to avoid her any longer.

"It doesn't mean anything, Jean!" he told her, "We're all a little on edge here and you know as well as I do that Emma _loves_ to give everyone that extra push."

"I'm still standing here, you know?" said Emma with folded arms, "It wasn't meant as an insult anyways. I was hoping to make a point."

"Well consider it made. You proved there's some lingering bitterness between X-men and X-Force," said Scott strongly.

"All the more reason to confront it," Emma pointed out, "We've all done plenty on our respective teams to piss each other off. We'll have to be adults about it at some point and move on. Some seem more ready to do so than others."

Jean snorted bitterly at Emma, even if she was painfully right. She turned away from her former teammate and stepped away so she could fume. Scott followed her, remaining close without getting too close.

"If it makes you feel better, I think she was referring to me more than you," said Scott.

"It doesn't," said Jean flatly, 'This marks the second time our paths have crossed only to make things worse."

"This is different, Jean. We're not opposing one another this time. We're working together," he said.

"I wasn't referring to the team, Scott. I was referring to _us_."

Scott shifted awkwardly. Now Jean was looking at him with those longing eyes of hers. They were both in an emotionally vulnerable state. Now was not the time to confront it, but it was something they couldn't avoid.

"I know this is hardly an appropriate time to get mushy, but I would feel a lot better if you weren't keeping your mind closed off from me," said Jean.

"There are reasons for that, Jean…good reasons that I can't reveal just yet," he said to her, offering a tender gesture to help mend her frustrations, "I know it's frustrating now. I just need you to trust me and the rest of X-Force. We wouldn't have come if we didn't believe this could work."

"I wouldn't be this messed up about it if I didn't believe it either," she groaned, "I just…I want a chance to see if there's enough _us_ to salvage."

"You'll get that chance. I promise."

It had been a while since Jean received a promise from Scott Summers. After so much time apart, the meaning of such a promise was much more fragile. Jean found herself leaning into Scott's presence as if to give him more reasons to keep his promise. The X-Force leader reluctantly embraced her, showing his own uncertainty as the prospect of another confrontation with Magneto drew near.

The X-men and X-Force clearly had many issues to work through, both personal and logistical. There were a lot of complex emotions that needed to be resolved and they needed to be able to work around them for this mission. Magneto had already set the stage. Now they just had to join him.

"I did it! We're all set," Wanda announced.

"That was quick. Magneto must be in a hurry to get his ass kicked," commented Logan as the two teams gathered around Wanda.

"What's the story, Miss Maximoff? How is this going to go down?" asked Captain Freeman as he and General Grimshaw joined as well.

"Well, it doesn't look like you'll have to sneak in behind me if that's what you're worried about," she replied, "My father is sending a special transport orb that will fit all of us. He's willing to allow both the X-men and X-Force onto Asteroid M."

"That sounds _way_ too polite of him," said Domino.

"Erik would never make himself _that_ vulnerable to his enemies," said Professor Xavier.

"He didn't give specifics. He just told me there would be _precautions_ ," said Wanda cryptically.

"At least that shows he's not _that_ crazy," said Hank.

"The transport orb will arrive at Lake Moraine in about two hours. He expects me to be there and he expects the lot of you to behave yourselves. Those are his words, not mine," said Wanda.

"That mean we have to leave Logan behind?" said Remy.

"Not funny, Cajun!" snarled Logan, who drew his claws.

"Not an unreasonable demand either," said Scott, "But if he agreed to allow X-men and X-Force onto Asteroid M, that's what he's going to get."

The logistics were sound, if not excessively so. Both teams were walking right into Magneto's domain. They were exposing themselves in ways that left them very vulnerable. It placed an even greater emphasis on Wanda's influence. If she was right about her father, then she would be the key to getting through to him.

"I'm not as concerned about Magneto's hospitality as I am the forces around him," said General Grimshaw.

"Easy for you to say. You ain't even going," muttered Rogue under her breath.

"We all seem to agree with Miss Maximoff's earlier suspicion. Something is very wrong with Magneto and we need to find out what it is. Do you have the slightest clue as to how you're going to figure it out?" asked the General, ignoring Rogue's remark.

"We're not under the illusion that we have an efficient strategy here, General," said Professor Xavier, "However, between my telepathy and Wanda's presence we should be able to uncover whatever unseen influence may be hiding."

"And if we can't?" asked Captain Freeman.

"We can't plan _that_ far ahead, Captain. This is a mission where we'll have to make adjustments based on what we uncover on Asteroid M."

"I still don't like the idea of going in blind," said Piotr.

"What we lack in intel we'll have to make up for in manpower," reasoned the Professor, "For this, we are no longer fragmented. The collective strength of the X-men and X-Force _must_ be greater than any unexpected surprises that we uncover. That means we must set aside our petty disagreements if only for just this mission."

"That's gonna be a tall order, Chuck. There's only so far we can stick our heads in the sand," said Logan.

"Who's to say those disagreements even matter anymore?" questioned Jean, "Didn't White Cell make _that_ abundantly clear?"

"That's a debate we can all discuss once this is over," said Professor Xavier, "Without a doubt, there will be some changes to discuss. That's why we need to make it through this in one piece. I would prefer that this corroboration not be a one-time deal."

Professor Xavier sounded sincere in this desire. Many within both teams seemed to share that sentiment. Emotions aside, the idea of the X-men staying divided just didn't work. Recent events proved that if they remained separate, they would continue to unravel. They couldn't allow that to happen.

Since no objections were expressed, General Grimshaw stepped in with Captain Freeman. The two teams were ready to do their part. Now he was ready to do his.

"Since everyone has stopped yelling at each other, I'll assume you're ready to begin," said the General, "Captain Freeman will organize an MSA transport that will take you to Lake Moraine. You'll link up with James Proudstar along the way."

"I take it you'll remain with the President to maintain some semblance of order," said Wanda, "Can you promise us you won't do anything to disrupt our operation?"

"Seeing as how you'll be in space, it's redundant to think otherwise," retorted the General, "We have our hands full here on Earth. However, you will be equipped with special communicators so we can keep tabs on what's going on. If the President makes a decision, you'll be the first to know. Just remember we're not equipped to provide backup should it be needed."

"Don't worry, General. We're not expecting it," said Scott.

"Then in the words of Alan Sheppard…please don't let us screw up," said General Grimshaw as he saluted the two X-teams, "Godspeed X-men. You too X-Force. Whatever you find up there, I hope it's something you don't have to blow up."

 **Asteroid M – Citadel**

' _Such a productive day, if I do say so myself. I have the Magneto, the Brotherhood, the X-men, and the entire Earth right where I need them to be. Like the invisible hand of natural selection that guides evolution, I guide this new genesis to its ultimate destiny.'_

Dr. Wyndham held his head high after surprising the Brotherhood with Lorna's return. Bringing her back to the world of the living went a long way towards earning their trust. Now they were less inclined to oppose him. He would need their support once the X-men arrived with Wanda Maximoff. He didn't need their complete obedience. He just needed their loyalty through the most vital stage of this new evolution.

While the Brotherhood shared a joyous reunion with Lorna, Dr. Wyndham slipped away to another part of his lab. His glowing purple eyes flickered as he entered a small area nestled in the northwest corner. Frenzy followed close behind him. She was every bit the loyal soldier he needed her to be. As a result, she could bear witness to a profound moment that was decades in the making.

"I'd say you've endeared yourself to the Brotherhood," Frenzy commented, "I can still hear them gushing over Lorna."

"Give them their moment. It'll only reinforce their loyalty, which I'll most need once the X-men arrive," said Dr. Wyndham.

"You don't sound too worried," said Frenzy with folded arms.

"Why should I be? I _want_ them to be part of this. Even if they end up opposing me, they'll bear witness to this amazing evolutionary event."

Brimming with excitement, Dr. Wyndham pressed his hand against a panel on a nearby console. A computer quickly scanned his palm and verified his identity. In doing so a large rectangular container that was adjacent to the wall opened.

The container revealed a special bio-mechanical suit that had purplish scale-like modules covering the body, special tubes extending from the shoulders, and a custom helmet fitted with a visor over the eyes. It looked like an exoskeleton of sorts. If the exposed wires were any indication, it was only completed recently.

Frenzy watched as Dr. Wyndham removed his lab coat and shirt. She turned away while he removed his pants and everything underneath. With his eyes still glowing, the old man stepped into the container. Without even moving, the exoskeleton came to life and started to slither around his body as if it was merging with him.

"Do you know what the problem with regular evolution is, Miss Cargill?" asked Dr. Wyndham as the exoskeleton engulfed him.

"You mean besides giving men nipples and making too many insects that sting?" answered Frenzy.

"It's too _chaotic_ and relies too much on trail-and-error. It's a major reason why this conflict between humans and mutants is so wasteful," he said.

"I thought it was just stupid, but I guess that's more scientific."

"Throughout history, mankind has tamed that chaos. We've redirected rivers, moved mountains, and created elements that nature is incapable of producing. So it stands to reason that man can give evolution a nudge in the right direction. No one has been able to because they can't see all the complex intricacies that go into living systems. But thanks to my cosmic awareness, I see it like a painter sees a fresh can of paint."

Frenzy took a step back, watching as the exoskeleton slithered more rapidly. As it surrounded Dr. Wyndham, his body tensed and contorted. In the process, it reshaped his muscles and stature.

He became taller, more muscular, and more intimidating than the timid old man that seemed so underwhelming to others. He now looked like someone who could command the loyalty he needed. Once the exoskeleton settled, Dr. Wyndham stepped out of the container. His eyes were glowing even brighter than before. It looked like he was staring off into space, but he was clearly seeing so much more.

"I've spent half my life understanding the mechanisms that make life work in all its grandeur. I spent the other half taking that knowledge and creating a new evolutionary template," said Dr. Wyndham in a new voice that projected great strength, "Now I have my own Garden of Eden here on Asteroid M. Unlike the gods of mythology, I will open this garden to those who vow to respect it."

"So what kind of god does that make you?" asked Frenzy.

"Oh I'm not a god. I am the personal embodiment of pure evolution. I am the High Evolutionary and by my just hand, there will be no natural selection…only _my_ selection!"

 **Up next: High Evolution Part 2**


	22. Issue 170: High Evolution Part 2

**Issue #170  
High Evolution Part 2**

* * *

 _The human race is evolving. More individuals are being born with extraordinary powers. Professor Charles Xavier has dedicated his life to using these powers for the betterment of mankind. He formed the X-men to fight for peace and understanding in a world that hates and fears them. Now the conflict between humans and mutants is poised to change forever._

 _Despite the X-men's best efforts, the world has become much more dangerous. Professor Xavier attempted to forge a partnership with the authorities under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. This not only split up his X-men, thus leading the creation of X-Force. It weakened their collective efforts, allowing an attack from White Cell to cripple global defenses. It created a perfect situation for Magneto to exploit._

 _While in hiding, he helped the mysterious Dr. Wyndham construct a vast space station known as Asteroid M. This new world promises to give a desperate few a fresh start. In addition to sheltering mutants, Magneto has opened Asteroid M to humans as well. They may join this new paradise provided they agree to become mutants._

 _This has led Professor Xavier, X-Force, and the authorities to suspect that something darker is at work. With help from Wanda Maximoff, they are poised to confront Magneto on Asteroid M. They prepare to leave while all over the world, many clamor for what little hope Asteroid M has to offer._

* * *

 **San Francisco – Golden Gate National Recreation Area**

"Out of my way! I won't be left behind!" yelled a desperate old man as he tried to shove his way through wall of unruly humanity.

"Can someone _please_ let me through! I have a terminally ill child here!" exclaimed a woman doing her best to protect her pale son.

"Get in line, lady!" said a middle-aged man, "I just got outta jail, lost my job, and found out the bank took my house! You're not the only one eager to get off this rock!"

It was official. The entire social order of the world had been disrupted. Magneto's message reached millions of people and they responded intently. As soon as the information about Asteroid M was presented, lines were drawn. There were those who sought to be among the select few to start over in a new world. There were those who saw it as another blow to an already vulnerable world and barricaded themselves in their homes. Then there were those who attacked anyone that accepted Magneto's offer.

As transport pods were sent all over the world, the cities around those pods shut down and thousands poured out into the streets. San Francisco was already in a state of emergency. The Golden Gate Bridge was clogged with people trying to get to the transport pod on the other side. Police had come in to set up barricades, but the White Cell attack left them with limited resources. They could do little to thwart the river of people. It left only the determined protesters to turn people away.

"You fucking traitors! You actually trust Magneto _not_ to screw you over?" exclaimed a protester from behind a weak police barricade.

"You're betraying your own _species_!" said another.

"You're taking the easy way out! You fucking cowards!"

"If you're giving up on us, then we're giving up on you!"

Several protesters broke through the barricade and swarmed those trying to get to the pod. Along the way they picked up rocks, garbage, and anything else they could find and threw it into the crowds. Hundreds took cover, but they didn't fight back. They kept pushing forward. They could see the transport pod atop a ridge and it was filling up fast. No one wanted to be left behind, but it seemed inevitable that some would.

* * *

 **Cairo, Egypt – Giza Plateau**

"GET BACK! BY ORDER OF THE GOVERNMENT, NO ONE IS GETTING THROUGH!" barked an angry officer from the Egyptian military.

"You can't keep us from choosing our own destiny!" yelled a young man.

"WATCH ME!" barked the officer.

Shots rang out as more beleaguered soldiers fired wildly into a crowd of desperate Egyptians. Some tried shooting into the air to scare people off. Others fired right into the protesters, wounding many and leaving some dead. However, even the prospect of death couldn't ward off the desperate hoards.

Cairo had already been on lockdown since the White Cell attack. The government had been in disarray since its dictatorship collapsed years ago. The military was the only source of order and after White Cell, that order was completely undermined. Magneto's announcement followed by the revelation of a transport pod on the Giza Plateau proved to be the final straw. Despite the military police surrounding the pod with tanks and sandbags, the people kept coming.

"My brother! Somebody help my brother! He's been shot!" cried a young woman as she knelt over an unmoving body.

"Leave him! He's in Allah's hands now," urged an older man.

"Don't let these monsters use us for target practice. They're weak. We're strong. Let's show them!"

Emboldened by the heartless actions of the authorities, the crowd pushed harder. Some picked up rocks and threw them at the soldiers. The officer who shot the young man was a major target. He kept trying to fire his weapon, but he soon ran out of bullets as the barricade weakened.

"We're running out of ammo, sir!" yelled a nervous soldier, who was already falling back.

"Shoot what you can and reinforce the barrier," urged the officer as he tried to reload his gun, "Don't let anyone through no matter-AUGH!"

The officer was cut off as a large rock struck him in the head. It caused him to fall off the tank he had been standing on and into the crowds below. The angry masses showed him the same mercy he had shown the people he shot. They relentlessly beat him to a pulp and took his weapons.

Now armed, a couple of young men opened fire on those manning tear gas cannons. In short order, the soldiers abandoned their posts. With the hot desert sun beating down on them, they scaled the tanks and made a beeline for the pod.

"I can see it!" yelled the man who took the officer's gun, "We're almost there. Hurry before it leaves without us!"

* * *

 **Buenos Ares, Argentina – Punta Lara**

"What is it, papa?" asked a young boy in a daze.

"I'm not sure, Paco," said a middle-aged man in astonishment.

The nearby city of Buenos Ares had been in a panic since the White Cell attack. It caused some to leave the crowded streets and retreat to the countryside. Punta Lara was an undeveloped park reserve. A number of families had chosen to camp out in the area until the chaos blew over. Then about an hour ago, a new kind of chaos entered the area.

It happened just outside a major encampment. The middle-aged man had been foraging for food with his son when they saw what looked like a shooting star fall from the sky. It didn't impact like a meteor, but it landed close enough for them to investigate. When they reached it, they encountered an amazing sight.

A large metal platform was now hovering just a few inches off the ground. It looked big enough to hold thousands of people. It appeared they were the first ones to see it and they weren't sure what to make of it.

"Could it be that thing the man on the radio was talking about?" his son asked him.

"I don't know. I hope not," said the man, "We came here to escape this madness. I would rather it not find us here."

The man and his son continued to observe the mysterious object. As they pondered what this could be, they heard noises emerge from the nearby forest. It looked as though this once tranquil area wasn't going to be that tranquil anymore.

"Over here! I think I see it," said an eager voice.

"This matches the coordinates my husband found on the internet," said a female voice following close behind, "It has to be one of those pods."

"It doesn't look like the police have surrounded it yet. Let's get inside before they do!"

These voices were soon followed by many more. It confirmed what the man and his son had feared. Without hesitation, they turned around and started running.

"Run Paco! We must get as far away from this place as possible."

"Why papa?" wondered the boy as he was urged along.

"Because trouble always follows desperate people," he told him, "Whenever danger approaches, those same people will either run by us or run over us!"

* * *

 **Shikine Island - Japan**

"Row harder! We're almost to the shore," urged the breathless captain of a makeshift raft.

"Why don't _you_ row harder?" grunted an older woman who was equally exhausted, "You're the one that ran our boat into a rock."

"Hate me all you want. But if we all don't peddle harder, we'll be left behind."

The seas around Japan were always congested. Everything from finishing boats to oil tankers traversed the busy waters. Now the seascape around Japan's east coast was completely chaotic. One of Magneto's pods had landed on Shikine Island, a small speck of land that wasn't far from the Japanese mainland. That news prompted anyone with a boat to take to the waters.

All around the island, there were boats of all shapes and sizes trying to get to the pod. That led some boats to collide with one another and others to hit rocks within shallow waters. The weather didn't help either. High winds and light rain made for choppy waters, causing some boats to capsize.

The Japanese authorities scrambled to try and secure the island while rescuing those in need of help. Their limited resources from the White Cell attack made that nearly impossible, which was encouraging to some as they neared the island.

"Tell me again, brother. Why are we leaving?" grunted the captain's younger brother.

"You would rather take your chances back in Tokyo? Where our parents cut off our money while we can't find work?" replied the captain.

"You think that makes you more deserving?" said a young woman with dyed hair, "I was wrongfully expelled from university. Then, I became indebted to a Yakuza gang. I don't even have a home to go to!"

"Maybe you can get a mutant power that allows you to cope with your failure," spat the Captain, "Our stories won't matter once we're on Asteroid M. Just keep rowing! It looks like we may be among the lucky."

* * *

 **Lodz, Poland – Las Lagiewnicki**

Freedom was a powerful motivator for those who had lost it. The promise of freedom could motivate the most demoralized people in very extreme ways. Magneto's offer to free themselves from a decaying world inspired the kind of motivation that led some to cross lines that others would not. It left those that were more comfortable crossing such lines were at an advantage.

"Slow down, Josef! I think I broke a few bones in my foot back there," grunted a young man in ragged prison garb.

"Suck it up! We're almost there," said his older associate, "We didn't bust out of a Ukrainian prison, kill two people, and jump a train just to be denied."

"You sound awfully eager to join Magneto. I thought you hated mutants."

"There are other things I hate much more now," said Josef as he hopped over a fence, "At the moment, my hatred of police and our old enemies in the Russian Mafia is far more pressing. And if you want to escape both, you'll quit being a chicken shit and run faster."

His associate endured the excruciating pain in his foot and hopped the fence as quickly as he could. He followed Josef closely. They were trying to get to a clearing where a pod had landed. They were already on the run for having escaped from prison. The authorities had been hot on their trail and they needed a means of escape.

A dense fog had fallen over the area. The roads that led to the pod had been cordoned off by Polish authorities. Rather than join the growing crowd that was attempting to push through the roadblocks, they took their chances in the heavily wooded areas surrounding the pods.

They knew they weren't alone. They could hear the footsteps of others along with the motors of off-road vehicles traversing the rough terrain. No one was sure how much space was left on the pod so everyone assumed there were few.

"Hold on! I hear something," said Josef, stopping his associate as he limped along.

"What is it now?" he asked breathlessly, "I thought we were almost there."

"We are, but we need to get there sooner," he said carefully, "And I know how."

Josef grabbed his friend by the arm and shoved him behind a nearby tree. He then took cover in one of the bushes. Within moments, the noise he heard grew louder and closer. It sounded like a motorcycle. It might be just what they needed to ensure their spot in a pod.

With predatory intent, Josef waited until the motorcycle was in view. As he waited he drew a knife he had stolen. As soon as they were close enough, he stepped out into their path. The man on the motorcycle, who was riding with a woman sitting behind him, instinctively stopped to avoid hitting him.

"Whoa! Are you crazy?" said the man on the motorcycle, "We could have…"

"Get off the bike!" yelled Josef.

"Huh? What do you…"

"I SAID GET OFF!" he roared.

The desperate man didn't give the couple a second warning. With homicidal rage, he lunged at the driver and jammed his knife right into his neck. He knew he hit an artery because blood started gushing out uncontrollably, causing the woman to scream in horror.

"NO! YOU MONSTER!" she cried as she stumbled off the bike.

"Shut up you stupid bitch!" yelled Josef.

In his rage, Josef grabbed the woman by the hair and slit her throat with his knife. It didn't matter to him if it was necessary. It only mattered that there was one less person that could take his spot in the pod.

"Josef…what have you done?" his associate exclaimed.

"What does it look like? I just got us a bike and took down the competition," he replied callously as he put his bloodied knife away.

"Don't we have enough blood on our hands already?"

"You going to keep whining or are you going to hop on?" said Josef as he got on the motorcycle, which was still running.

There was no room for hesitation. They needed to get to that pod or all the bloodshed would be meaningless. Despite his disgust, the desperate escapee joined Josef on the motorcycle. Leaving behind two dead bodies, they resumed their desperate push towards freedom.

* * *

 **Pakistan – Hindu Kush Region**

"Mama…I'm so tired," cried a young girl as she walked barefoot over rugged terrain.

"Me too, mama. My feet hurt," cried an older boy.

"I know everything hurts," said the mother breathlessly, "It'll be over soon. I promise."

The desperate woman clung to her children in an effort to keep that promise. She and many others braved the unforgiving terrain of the Hindu Kush to reach one of Magneto's pods. The government tried to instill a communication's blackout shortly after Magneto's announcement. It proved ineffective because word still got out that a pod was located atop a large ridge. Thousands rushed into the mountains in hopes of being within that pod before it left. The promise of a new life was too great for many to pass up.

For her, it wasn't just about opportunity. It was about survival. She was among the lucky ones. The ridge wasn't far from the small village where she lived with her children and husband. She was desperate to leave it all behind because her husband was abusive. Her parents forced her to marry this man and endure his wrath. On Asteroid M, she and her children hoped to escape that wrath. With little food and only the clothes on their back, they ascended a rocky and increasingly crowded hilltop.

"Look! I see helicopters," yelled an old man as he pointed up into the sky.

"What are they doing? Are they ferrying people from the cities?" wondered a younger man, who saw it as well.

Others looked up and saw three large helicopters pass over the ridge. They swirled around and settled into a hover. Then to the horror of many, the helicopters opened fire.

"They're shooting at us!" exclaimed a young woman.

"My son! He's been shot!" cried a horrified father.

"Why? Why would they do this?" exclaimed the mother of the wounded child.

"They don't want us to leave," lamented an old man, "They would rather we die!"

Bullets continued flying. Many were wounded. For them, there was no hope. No one could help them. Those that stayed behind to help would only be left behind. The best hope remained at the top of the ridge.

"Allah…he who is the most merciful and compassionate," prayed the mother as she embraced her children with each step, "Help us through this carnage. Give me the strength to save my children."

* * *

 **Colorado Springs – Lake Moraine**

Wanda Maximoff had a lot riding on her shoulders. She was leading both the X-men and X-Force into a trap on a planetary scale. Like many others, she heard the reports of the chaos her father's announcement had caused. She didn't have time to hear all the stories of determined people fighting for a spot on Asteroid M while equally determined people tried to thwart them. She assumed the chaos was part of a larger plan.

' _Once again, I'm caught in the middle of your madness, father. This time it may not even be your fault. I hope it isn't because this is getting old. I can't keep doing this for you. Something has to give this time. You must decide…your madness or your family.'_

Wanda maintained her strength as she, the X-men, and X-Force were transported to the designated coordinates for the transport pod. They arrived in a series of Chinook helicopters. The ride aboard was tense.

A group of MSA operatives continued to surround Cyclops, Wolverine, Emma Frost, Domino, and Nightcrawler. Phoenix, Beast, Storm, Rogue, Gambit, Psylocke, and Colossus remained close as well, but remained silent. The tension between the two teams was still apparent. Captain Freeman made it a point to sit between them so they didn't worsen any lingering wounds. Everyone needed to prepare themselves for what they may face on Asteroid M.

Once the helicopters landed, they were greeted by a military convoy that had already surrounded the area. In a clearing near the lake, they could see the metal transport orb waiting for them. The MPs had already cleared out every civilian within a five-mile radius. Once X-Force and the X-men stepped out of the helicopters, the MSA operatives pulled back. That left General Grimshaw to lead them to their destination.

"Looks like everything's in place," announced General Grimshaw, "This is where we cut you loose and expect you to do your jobs."

"You sound like you're expecting us to blow you off, General. Do you really think we're _that_ dishonest?" said Cyclops.

"I hope that's a rhetorical question, Summers," said Captain Freeman under his breath.

"Once you're up in Asteroid M, you'll be a long way away from our jurisdiction," said the General, "If I was in your position, I'm sure I would be tempted."

"You've got nothing to worry about, General. We consider ourselves _honest_ deviants," said Emma Frost.

"As if hanging out on a floating rock with Magneto is _that_ appealing," said Domino, "I don't care how enticing he made it. So long as he's running the show, it ain't paradise."

"Keep in mind we don't know if he's running anything," added Professor Xavier, "That's part of what we're supposed to uncover."

"Yet we have no idea on what that other part may be," Psylocke stated, making it clear that this didn't sit well with her.

"Guess we'll have to play it by ear and cut up anything that gets in our way," said Wolverine, "If there's something or someone out there tough enough to pull Magneto's strings, I'd love to meet him. So would my claws."

"That makes two of us," said Wanda strongly.

There were certainly plenty of issues to resolve on Asteroid M. Both teams were eager to uncover the turth as they stood ready to depart. General Grimshaw signaled the military personnel to clear out. The MSA operatives had already returned to the helicopters and the convoy that had arrived before them was starting to leave.

Upon reaching the pod, they encountered one large military jeep. As they approached, the doors opened and two familiar figures stepped out. One was Abigail Brand of SWORD, who had been in the driver's seat. The other was James Proudstar, now back in his X-Force uniform and looking ready to join the battle.

"James!" exclaimed Storm as soon as she saw him.

"I see you got paroled, Warpath. You get off for good behavior?" teased Domino.

"They flew me here in a fancy jet and let me ride in the front seat. Guess I was good enough," said Warpath with a grin as he was greeted by X-Force.

"It's good to see you back in action, Warpath," said Nightcrawler as he shook his teammate's hand.

"Before we go any further, I think we owe you an apology," said Cyclops.

"For what? Leaving me behind after I did something insanely reckless?" the Native American scoffed, "There's nothing to be sorry for. You did what you had to do. I did what I had to do. And I'd do it again."

Warpath turned towards Storm as he said this, shooting her a brief smile that made her blush. It looked as though prison hadn't embittered Warpath. It didn't make what he did any less reckless. Chances were, they might end up having to be reckless for again.

"Even if you do, don't expect to get _this_ lucky again," said Abigail Brand, who was carrying a large metal case, "Your buddies may have spared you months of legal rambling, but the fine print on your pardon says you still have to earn your freedom."

"You really have a grudge against other peoples' self-esteem, don't you?" said Warpath dryly.

"In this line of work, we can't afford to be all touchy feely," said Agent Brand sternly, "When the world is turning to shit, we need to be a little harsh."

"No wonder you're so dang good at your job," muttered Rogue.

"It also helps to be resourceful," added General Grimshaw as he approached Agent Brand, "Did you bring it with you?"

"You think I would have left my office if I hadn't?" she said as she held up the large case, "SWORD is already undermanned and overworked. I didn't have anyone I trusted enough when I retrieved _this_ little gem."

"What is it this time? You expect us to carry a bomb with us?" said Phoenix dryly.

"Do not give them any ideas, Phoenix," said Colossus.

"As if you're the first to suggest _that_ ," quipped Agent Brand, "Lucky for us, there are those with functioning brains. Those brains tell us that certain symbolic gestures leave more of an impact than any bomb."

Without going into further detail, Agent Brand set the metal case down on the hood of the jeep and opened it. When the X-men saw what was inside, they could already feel the impact that Agent Brand had described.

"Is that…" began Beast.

"My father's helmet!" exclaimed Wanda.

"I thought it was stolen from Genosha," said Gambit.

"It was. I was there," said Wanda as she took the helmet from the General, "Some masked man calling himself Renegade took it. My father tried to track him down, but he never found him."

"Yes, I remember hearing about that," said Professor Xavier, who had to hold his tongue since he already knew the details.

"How did you even…" began Nightcrawler.

"I can't tell you and you don't want to know," said General Grimshaw, "How we obtained this helmet is irrelevant now. The important part is using it for your mission."

General Grimshaw had to maintain a stoic demeanor. He expected this kind of reaction. Few knew the details about the operation that had Captain Freeman steal Magneto's helmet. Professor Xavier was among the few. To his credit he kept his silence, but he still shot the General a stern glare. It was his way of reminding him that he still had that card to play if he forced it.

"How exactly is this thing going to be useful?" asked Domino skeptically.

"You think returning his helmet will make him trust us?" questioned Psylocke.

"We're hoping it will help," said General Grimshaw, "Consider it our way of letting Magneto know we're serious. We don't want this to turn into another potential extinction event. If you're right about him and there are other forces at work, then maybe this will make a statement."

"Or it could make him more suspicious. Who knows?" shrugged Agent Brand.

"You really love busting balls, don't you?" scorned Wolverine, "Ain't you trying to earn our trust?"

"Trust has very little to do with it. This is utter lack of options on our end, plain and simple," she replied, "Now I can't speak for the government or every other country in the world currently falling apart at the seams, but I can safely say they don't like the position they're in. It's one thing to have a country of mutants that they can point to on a map. It's quite another when a man with a history of destructive narcissism holds up in a massive space station that no one can monitor or attack."

"I think what she's trying to say is that she's basically stuck with us. That doesn't mean that she trusts us," said Captain Freeman.

"That's only part of it," she went on, "You X-men and your buddies in X-Force made this _way_ more difficult than it needed to be. You started bickering, you pissed each other off, and you took sides."

"Are we really going to debate the Mutant Monitoring Initiative at a time like this?" said Emma dryly.

"We really don't need a lecture on why we formed X-Force. We had our reasons," said Cyclops strongly.

"I'm sure you did. They may have been valid for all I know, but you still ended up weakening yourself and the rest of the world by default. Hindsight being what it is, you _both_ are responsible. That's the price of being heroes and I hope this helps serve as a big fucking reminder."

Abigail Brand was as harsh as she was condescending. She was also a keen observer that often saw things others had missed. The divide between the X-men and X-Force had driven so many conflicts since the Mutant Monitoring Initiative passed, but what had they gained from such conflicts?

Phoenix, Best, Storm, Rogue, Gambit, Psylocke, Colossus, and Professor Xavier stood on one side near the pod. Cyclops, Wolverine, Emma Frost, Domino, Warpath, and Nightcrawler stood on the other. Even as they prepared to fight together, they were still divided. They put many lives at risk with this bitter schism. Against a threat like Magneto, it could be their undoing.

"I'm not going to pile on what Agent Brand said, but she makes a valid point," the General stated as he stepped between the two teams, "You're either going to get through this together or you're going to fail one-by-one."

"We're not going to let that happen. We can't," said Wanda, who was standing next to Captain Freeman next to the jeep.

"That depends on how well we work together," said Captain Freeman, "I tend to hold grudges, but even I'm smart enough to see when they become petty."

"It's easier for the Captain here because he has his orders. He's a soldier by trade while the rest of you are heroes by choice," General Grimshaw went on, "So before you go any further, I encourage you all to make another one. Put the past behind you. Agree to be one team again. The world needs the X-men. More importantly, they need the X-men to stand _united_."

It sounded less like a command and more like a dare. The two teams exchanged glances, recalling the bitter circumstances that led them to this situation. Cyclops and Professor Xavier ended up stepping forward. They both symbolized the division that had led to this point. Xavier made his remorse apparent while Cyclops maintained his disciplined demeanor. Knowing that they might face overwhelming challenges on Asteroid M, they had to put this animosity.

"He's right, Scott," said Professor Xavier.

"I wasn't going to argue that, sir," said Cyclops.

"Then let me be the one to say this," he said, "We've both lost control of this situation. There's a long list of issues that we need to resolve. I can't promise we'll see eye-to-eye on all of them, but if you and X-Force give me a chance…I'd like you to be X-men again."

"Is that a two-sided offer?" asked the X-Force leader, "If we give you a chance, does that mean you'll give us a chance? Both during this mission and when it's over?"

"I intend on reciprocating your gesture on every level," assured Professor Xavier, "We'll have to start rebuilding what we lost at some point. Why not start now?"

It was both honest and pragmatic. Professor Xavier sincerely wanted his X-men back. Phoenix, Storm, Beast, Rogue, Gambit, Colossus, and Psylocke seemed to share this sentiment. Cyclops turned back towards X-Force, who seemed to share it as well. Wolverine, Emma, Domino, Warpath, and Nightcrawler trusted him to make this call.

"At a time like this, I don't think we can afford not to," said Cyclops as he turned back to face the Professor, "I just wish it happened sooner."

"Even powerful psychics can't foresee certain complications," said Professor Xavier.

"That's okay. I won't hold it against you," he said with a slight grin.

"If I promise to exercise my foresight, will that help your decision?"

"I've already made it, Professor. X-Force seems to agree with me. We've outgrown these dark uniforms. We're ready to be X-men again."

In a symbolic gesture, Cyclops extended his hand to Professor Xavier. It brought a sense of relief to him and the two teams. With a warm smile, he reached out and shook it. The bitter divide that had caused so much turmoil could finally begin to heal. The relief helped ease the tension, allowing the two teams to stand together once more.

"Dang, and Gambit was just gettin' used to being on a team without Wolverine," teased Gambit.

"If you think I missed your Cajun charm, Gumbo, you're wrong," quipped Wolverine.

"Feels like old times already," said Rogue, rolling her eyes.

"I see your cynicism hasn't changed either, mein sister," commented Nightcrawler.

"In some ways, it regressed if you can believe that," commented Psylocke, which earned her a scold from Rogue.

"Yes, I think we can conclude that we have plenty of catching up to do," said Beast.

"You'll have to hug it out on Asteroid M because that's where we need to be right now," said Captain Freeman sternly, "I'm glad you all have agreed to disagree, but this is still a mission that you guys helped set up. So let's finish it before someone else comes along to screw it up."

Captain Freeman's stern orders disrupted the moment, but in a necessary way. After sharing a few more friendly gestures, the reunited team followed the mutant soldier onto the transport pod where he and Wanda were waiting.

" _That's_ the guy you've had as your field leader?" commented Domino.

"He's not as bad as he seems," shrugged Colossus.

"Although he tends to forget that there's a fine line between following orders and being a hero," commented Phoenix.

"That line means dick at this point, Jeannie," said Wolverine, "We're heading to Magneto's domain. That means we'll be playing by his rules."

"Rules are meant to be broken, are they not?" quipped Emma Frost.

"Depending on who is actually writing those rules, they may have to be," said Wanda.

With her father's helmet firmly in hand, Wanda stood next to Captain Freeman in the center of the transport pod. They were joined by Cyclops, Phoenix, Beast, Storm, Wolverine, Rogue, Nightcrawler, Gambit, Colossus, Psylocke, Domino, Emma Frost, and Warpath. Professor Xavier was the last one on board, stopping beside General Grimshaw and Abigail Brand one last time. No one really knew what they were going to discover in Asteroid M. Whatever they uncovered was sure to have global implications.

"Are you expecting us to wish you luck, Professor?" asked Agent Brand.

"I won't patronize you, Miss Brand. I know with Magneto you expect us to make our own luck," said Professor Xavier, "By that same token, I expect you to coordinate with President Kelly. I know there are still those who would prefer to launch their own attack. We can't have that happen while we're up there."

"Those are some lofty expectations, Professor. You want us to juggle venomous snakes while we're at it?" said Agent Brand.

"I think what Agent Brand is _trying_ to say is that we'll do what we can," said General Grimshaw in a less harsh tone, "But if we don't see progress from the ground, some nervous people with itchy trigger fingers are going to start making assumptions."

"We'll keep that in mind," said the Professor, "Right now, our most valuable asset is time. Make sure we have enough of it before you do anything excessive."

"With Magneto, excessive is a moot point," said the General, "You do what you have to do. We'll do what we have to do. We'll just have to leave it at that."

It wasn't as reassuring as Professor Xavier had hoped. Knowing he wasn't going to get much else in terms of confidence, he simply nodded. He was putting himself and his X-men in grave danger. It was only fair that they give them a chance to be heroes.

Now that everyone was in place, the time had come for them to depart. Professor Xavier joined Wanda Maximoff, Captain Freeman, and his X-men within the transport pod. As soon as they were inside, Wanda prepared them for takeoff.

Her father made the pod specifically to respond to her powers. So with a simple hex bolt, the advanced machinery came to life. The metallic structure warped and reshaped in ways indicative of Magneto's touch. It quickly formed a large, egg-shaped shell. Once they were safely encased, the pod levitated into the air and took off like a rocket into the sky.

General Grimshaw and Agent Brand stepped back and watched the orb ascend. Its path to Asteroid M would soon be joined by many transport pods like it. Between the X-men, the Brotherhood, the former mutant citizens of Genosha, and one million people eager to gain mutant powers there was plenty of danger ahead of them. There was no guarantee that they would be able to stop it. That didn't make certain aspects of the mission any easier.

"You think they'll come back alive?" asked Agent Brand in her usual crass tone.

"The X-men have survived some pretty extreme situations. I don't see why they can't survive this," said General Grimshaw.

"I'm an ardent realist at heart so I'm tapering my expectations," she said, "Even if they do survive, that raises a more profound question."

"Don't, Agent Brand," said General Grimshaw firmly, "For once in your life, let the harsher truth remain unspoken."

"Why not? We're both pragmatists, General. Sometimes that means breaking a few unspoken rules. That leads me to believe that if the X-men live long enough to find out what we had planned from the get-go, they'll _never_ to trust us again."

* * *

 **New York City – District X**

The race was on to leave Earth and join Magneto on Asteroid M. The news from all over the world was the same. There were determined people seeking a place in one of the 50 transport pods and there were equally determined people trying to prevent them from reaching them. It made for some very tense situations all over the world and some had a front row seat, albeit an unwanted one.

"Europe, Africa, South America, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, and even the Pacific Islands…it's the same story everywhere," said Sage, who was watching various news reports from her phone, "A lot of people are fighting tooth and nail to get to those transport pods. Just as many are trying to stop them. The rest are just hiding in hopes that this will all be over soon."

"Tell us something that _ain't_ painfully obvious," said Bishop as they each stood on the rooftop of the M-Building.

"Would you be less pissed off if I told you Hank sent me a text saying the X-men are working on a plan?" she replied.

"That ain't much consolation. Whatever those suckas are doing, it's too late to save District X," he lamented.

"Look on the bright side, Lucas. At least we weren't blown up," said Jamie Madrox, who was standing next to Bishop, "That's how I always envisioned this place ending."

"That hardly qualifies as a bright side," said Sage dryly.

"I almost prefer being blown up. It would be a lot easier than this shit," muttered Bishop.

While much of the city was focused on the pod that landed in Central Park, District X was left eerily silent. Shortly after Magneto's broadcast ended, a series of small metal transport orbs descended from the sky. They landed in mutant communities all over the world, including District X.

Pretty much every mutant chose to leave in them. There were too few reasons for them to stay. Even those who resented Magneto thought they would be better off on Asteroid M. After White Cell, no one could protect them anymore. The promise of safety was just too appealing.

Sage, Bishop, and Multiple weren't sure if there was anyone left in their community. The society they worked so hard to build wasn't destroyed. It was abandoned. The truth was painfully apparent now. District X was no more.

"It's still not a bright side, but we're not the only ones facing this dilemma," said Sage as she continued going over reports on her phone, "Every other mutant community in the world has been deserted. Magneto appears to have cleared them out before sending the transport pods."

"After the White Cell attack, I can't blame them," said Jamie, "Everybody felt more vulnerable. No sane mutant believes they're safe anymore."

"It's still an irrational leap, jumping at the first chance to leave the planet," said Sage.

"Since when are rational responses part of being a mutant?" quipped Jamie, "Magneto timed everything perfectly. He reemerged at just the right moment to offer the whole world a new hope."

"You really think he planned this shit?" questioned Bishop.

"He's always been opportunistic. It stands to reason that he'll use Asteroid M to cripple this world in every way he can," said Sage.

"Does reason also say that Magneto will pull a fast one on all the people buying into his shit?" said Bishop.

"Statistically speaking, the odds are better than I'm comfortable calculating," said Sage.

Bishop's gaze narrowed. In the distance he could see an elaborate array of lights streaming around Central Park. There were no signs that the transport pod had taken off yet. He imagined the authorities were doing everything they could to control the situation. It was doubtful they could maintain any sense of order. It was also doubtful that this crisis would end once the transport pod left.

"I've never shied away from numbers games so I'll assume that Magneto will do something that will make these people regret their decision," said Jamie, "The question remains…what can we do about it?"

"For the moment, only the X-men are in the best position to act," said Sage.

"Given their track record lately, that's _not_ very comforting," said Jamie.

"And nobody likes to be _that_ uncomfortable," said Bishop strongly, "We gotta do something! Ain't no way we're just gonna sit here with our thumbs up our asses waiting for Magneto to waste us."

"At the risk of having to turn off my emotions, I'm compelled to point out the logistics of such an endeavor or lack thereof," said Sage, "Even if we have the knowledge with which to make a difference, we lack both manpower and resources."

"Don't get too logical on us, Sage. We're more equipped than you think," came a voice.

Bishop, Sage, and Jamie turned around to see Jubilee standing at the rooftop entrance with Laurie, Gabriel, Teon, Idie, and Kenji behind her. They were all much more upbeat than they did when they left. Bishop sent them to scout around District X in search of anyone who decided to stay. They ended up finding more than they expected.

"Back so soon, Jubes?" said Bishop.

"Please tell me you found something," said Jamie in an exasperated tone.

"Actually, it would be more accurate to say that they found us," said Kenji.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Jamie.

"Look up and see for yourself," said Laurie as she pointed to the sky above.

Bishop, Sage, and Jamie looked up to see a large, high-tech jet emerge from the clouds overhead. It looked like the X-men's iconic X-jet, but slightly bigger. As it descended, they recognized a couple of figures in the cockpit. It was Moria MacTaggart, Sean Cassidy, Forge, and Rahne Sinclair. They waved down at Jubilee and the Lights, who eagerly waved back.

"So Muir Island wasn't abandoned," said Sage, "That's a relief."

"What island? Are these guys cool?" asked Bishop, who wasn't as familiar with Muir Island as the others.

"Oh they're _very_ cool!" assured Gabriel, "I think that girl with the wolf fur likes me."

"You say that about _every_ girl," said Laurie, rolling her eyes.

"They're cool and more importantly, they have a plan," added Jubilee, "One they'll need plenty of help with."

"What kind of plan?" asked Jamie curiously, "And why here of all places?"

"Well they would have been here sooner, but they had to make another pit stop along the way," said Idie.

"Since District X is now a ghost town, we got a few more friends to pick up the slack," said Jubilee.

As the jet hovered lower over the M-building, the hatch on the side opened up. Sage, Bishop, and Jamie watched as more familiar figures poured out. The first one they recognized was Bobby Drake. He came out forming an extra wide ice slide.

Behind him, Kitty Pryde followed and used the slide to descend towards the M-building. They were soon joined by Julian Keller, Roberto DaCosta, Sam Guthrie, Tabitha Smith, Noriko Ashida, Danielle Moonstar, Santo Vaccarro, Laura Howlett, and Amara Aquilla. They all bore their X-Factor uniforms and looked ready to lend a hand.

"Sorry we're late, guys. Being on a crammed jet with Dr. Nemesis and Forge slowed us down," said Bobby.

"I suppose being late isn't the worst thing an ex-boyfriend can do to me," said Jubilee with a humored grin.

"Speak for yourself," added Kitty, "Besides, it's not like we had much reason to stay in Boston. The whole school was pretty much abandoned."

"I can see y'all have the same problem here in District X," commented Sam as he looked out over the deserted neighborhood.

"Among others," said Bishop as he approached the young mutants, "I think we've all had enough problems. Jubilee says you guys may have a solution or two."

"Let's just say we've been in touch with a few well-connected friends," said Kitty coyly.

"Leave the godfather tone to the real Italians, Pryde," said Santo, "They don't need to know where it came from. They just need to know it's here."

"I hope you're not too insulted that we're skeptical," said Jamie, "You guys are students last I checked. This isn't an extra credit assignment. This is freakin' Magneto!"

"We're more experienced than you think," said Laura firmly.

"We also have good teachers," added Amara, "Speaking of which…"

The team of young mutants turned back towards the jet, which was still hovering with Bobby's ice slide just outside the open hatch. While they had been introducing themselves, their associates were already hard at work.

Dr. Nemesis, Shiro Yoshida, Forge, and the Stepford Cuckoos emerged from inside the plane. They carried with them a series of metallic containers. They didn't look like much at first, but then Sage recognized the materials. Suddenly, they didn't feel nearly as undermanned.

"Is that what I think it is?" asked Sage as Dr. Nemesis slid down Bobby's ice slide first.

"That and so much more, especially with the _tweaks_ I've made," grinned Forge.

"We've got a few other things we need to offload," added Shiro, "We'll need plenty of help putting it together."

"And plenty of psychic cover, which we're ready to provide," said Mindee, Pheobee, and Celeste simultaneously.

"For what?" questioned Bishop, "This something that's going to make us a target?"

"Only in a good way," said Tabitha.

"By that, she means if you're serious about stopping Magneto, you'll take this seriously," said Dr. Nemesis, "With that in mind, we're going to need to _borrow_ your building here."

Bishop and Jamie looked at him strangely. Jubilee and the Lights were already working with X-Factor to help unload these packages. Sage seemed to share their urgency. From the looks of it, this was much bigger than they suspected.

"What exactly do you mean by _borrow_?" questioned Jamie.

"It probably means exactly what you think it means," said Jubilee, who already began helping them out.

"That's what I was afraid of," muttered Bishop.

"Before you voice any outrage, allow me to point out that we're on a bit of a schedule here," said Dr. Nemesis, tapping on his watch, "The wheels of this elaborate plot are already in motion. If we don't want to fall behind, we had best get to work."

"If it's any consolation, take comfort in the knowledge that we won't be in the most danger," said Shiro, "Someone else has volunteered to do it for us."

* * *

 **New York City – Central Park**

' _Oh yea as I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. I shall fear no evil. The Lord is my shepherd and I offer my life and my soul unto thee. Guide me through the temptation as I deliver the misguided into the light of thine grace.'_

Isaac's desperate prayers were among many being sent by those eagerly awaiting their new life in Asteroid M. Central Park had become a battleground. Thousands poured out into the streets and surrounded the park as word got out that a transport pod had landed. For those who had been at the Church of Humanity that morning, they had an inside track. They arrived before Magneto's announcement so they were able to board the pod before the chaos erupted. Isaac was among them, but his reasons for being there were very different. He did his best to filter out the surrounding chaos.

" _Attention all New York residents. This is the NYPD,"_ blared a helicopter overhead through a booming loudspeaker, _"For your protection, please vacate the area return to your homes. By order of the governor, all of Central Park must be cleared."_

"To hell with your orders! This is our choice!" shouted an African American man, who was among the 20,000 that made it to the pod.

"You tell the governor it's his own damn fault that we're jumping ship!" yelled an older woman.

Those within the pod cheered, yelling and shouting obscenities at every effort to force them out. They had chosen to leave this world and they weren't going to let the same authorities that had been ravaged by White Cell deny them. By now the transport pod was full. Exactly 20,000 men, women, and children stood anxiously within the pod. All they could do was hope that they would leave this madness soon.

Those lucky 20,000 were surrounded by thousands more that had filled the streets of New York and much of the area around Central Park. Some protested angrily towards those who had chosen to join Magneto. Others tried to fight for a spot in the pod. It became so tense that the NYPD created a large rectangular barricade around the field where the transport pod had landed.

That barrier included concrete dividers, makeshift fences, and parked police cruisers. Riot police stood on one side. A massive sea of people stood on the other. They fired off tear gas and rubber bullets out into the crowds to disperse them. It did little good as thousands kept pushing.

"LET US THROUGH! LET US THROUGH! LET US THROUGH!" many chanted.

"Don't let those gene traitors leave!" shouted others, "Shoot them! Not us!"

So many conflicting sentiments only added to the tension. Several officers drove their cruisers against the barriers to reinforce them. Others stood behind and watched anxiously as the scene unfolded before them.

"Is this all the backup we can expect? It's like the whole damn city has taken to the streets," said one beleaguered officer.

"We were undermanned and underpaid before this shit went down. You think the governor can just magically conjure some extra muscle?" quipped his partner as he fired more tear gas into the crowds.

"I sure wish he could. Either that pod takes off or these people run us over, whichever comes first."

The NYPD became increasingly desperate. More people were trying to scale the fences and break through the barrier. The officers responded by firing more rubber bullets. That caused some injuries that weren't going to look good on the local news, but it bought them some badly needed time.

Deeper within the barricade, a line of SWAT vans surrounded the pod. Within these vans were several platoons of SWAT officers. They were armed and equipped with the best anti-riot gear that the department could scrap together. While the main officers handled the crowds, SWAT was supposed to handle the people in the pod. Their orders were to carry out what the helicopter commanded.

"Looks like they won't go quietly," said the Captain of one of the units, "I just got off the phone with the governor. He's authorized us to use any means necessary to get these people off the pod."

"Do those means include lethal means?" asked one of the officers.

"Like I said…any means," said the Captain cryptically.

Many of the SWAT officers tensed at the notion of firing deadly weapons into a crowd of people. These weren't dangerous mutants or criminals. These were ordinary people that wanted to leave this world. Then again, they were trusting Magneto to guide them. For some it was an act of betrayal. No one wanted to embolden a man that once came close to destroying the whole world. They had to do what was necessary to stop him.

"Time is running out, people. Let's get this over with," said the Captain.

Swallowing their reservations, the nervous officers filed out of the SWAT vans. They were joined by several other squads as they surrounded the transport pod. They raised their assault weapons into a fire-ready position. Now the 20,000 humans that once considered themselves lucky were in the line of fire.

"They're not going to shoot at us? Are they, daddy?" asked a scared little girl as she clung to her father and mother.

"No sweetie. They won't," said the man while bracing himself for the worst.

"How can you be so sure?" asked another young woman as she gazed out nervously.

Everyone in the transport pod held their collective breath. No one was willing to leave. They had fought too hard to throw this chance away. As they watched on, one of the SWAT captains approached with a bullhorn.

" _This is your final warning. By order of the governor, the mayor, and everyone else above my pay grade you must vacate the pod. Failure to do so will incur a forceful response. Please don't let it come to that. Is Magneto really worth it?"_

No one within the pod budged. They continued to tremble in anticipation of what would come next. Within these nervous crowds, Vargas was the only one who remained unafraid. As the lone mutant within the pod, he scoffed at the warning.

"Do not listen to them!" he said to them, "They can't carry out such an empty threat."

"I don't know, Vargas. They look pretty damn serious," said a man standing next to him.

"It doesn't matter if they are. Nothing they do matters," said Vargas with a grin.

The anxious masses were unable to share his confidence. The SWAT captain shook his head and signaled the squads. They appeared ready to shoot. But before any of them could pull the trigger, an unseen force stopped the attack before it started. In an instant every SWAT officer felt their weapons ripped out of their hands and turned back on them, thus completely reversing their roles.

"Hey! My gun!" exclaimed one of the officers.

"What the hell?" exclaimed the other.

"Not what…who," said Vargas, "And if his presence surprises you, then clearly you were expecting far too little."

As those in the transport pod and the SWAT officers looked on in confusion, a series of brilliant lighting flashes erupted from the clouds above. The rioting and the chanting stopped as everyone looked up. A collective gasp echoed through the city as Magneto descended towards the pod.

"I thought I made clear that my tolerance for violence was _extremely_ thin. Haven't you people lost your appetite for carnage yet?" he said in a voice that reverberated throughout Central Park.

"I did my best to reinforce your message, sir. Some just refuse to listen," said Vargas as Magneto was now hovering a few feet above the pod.

"No need to apologize, Vargas. I'm no longer surprised by the denigration of this world."

Magneto waved his hand, causing the guns of the SWAT officers to cock in preparation. Some were already backing away. Others were running full speed. However, their weapons simply followed them. Magneto would not let them escape his message.

"It's Magneto! Somebody shoot him with something!" barked a SWAT captain.

"With what? A slingshot?" exclaimed an officer as he stared nervously down the barrel of his own gun.

"Do yourselves a favor. Resist those barbaric impulses for a _fraction_ of a moment," said the master of magnetism in a threatening voice, "These people have made their choice. I'm here to make sure you honor it."

Magneto rose up higher in the air and summoned more power. As the SWAT officers backed away, the metal gates and various police vehicles were levitated by a wave of magnetic force. He took one nearby SWAT vehicle and launched it towards the police helicopter that had been hovering overhead. He struck it right in the tail, causing it to swirl out of control and descend towards the south barrier where NYPD officers had been trying to keep protesters out.

"Aw hell!" groaned one of the officers.

"Magneto's attacking! RUN!" yelled one of the protesters.

The helicopter impacted and skidded along the field. The pilots had to bail out in the process, landing in some nearby trees before watching the aircraft crumble before their eyes. But Magneto wasn't done yet.

In an ominous display, he warped the metal into hundreds of small shards. With these shards, he created a deadly magnetic whirlwind that forced the NYPD and the protesters back. It helped clear the nearby streets in ways that riot gear and government orders could not.

"No! Don't leave us behind!" cried a man who was restrained from trying to brave the metal storm.

"Don't be stupid! That's Magneto up there! He'll kill us all!" cried a woman.

Urgent cries soon filled the streets as people sought to avoid the metal storm. Magneto could have used it to slaughter hundreds, but he didn't. He demonstrated to the 20,000 humans below that he was not the monster so many deemed him to be. However, he was willing to show as much force as necessary to make his point.

"Should we be relieved or terrified?" said a young Hispanic man as he looked up at Magneto from the pod.

"A little of both seems justified," said a young African American woman.

"Don't let the theatrics concern you. Magneto is here to help us," assured Vargas, "That includes protecting us from those that would deny us."

Having made his point abundantly clear, the master of magnetism descended into the pod. The nervous humans that had chosen to be part of this ploy of his watched with mixed emotions. Isaac, who remained as hidden within the crowds as possible, swallowed the last of his fears. There was no turning back now.

"Congratulations. You are among the select few that will get to experience a more evolved future," said Magneto in a calm tone, "Say goodbye to world that failed you. A new beginning and a new home awaits us!"

No one said a word as Magneto raised his hand and clenched his fist. In an instant, the transport pod came to life. A series of large metal panels emerged from the base and folded over to form a diamond-shaped shell over the pod. The 20,000 humans inside huddled in closer, watching as they were encased in a cocoon of metal.

As soon as they were sealed in, they felt the pod levitate. With a mix of nervousness and excitement, they held on as the pod took off into the sky at high speeds. They imagined that the 49 other pods like this all over the world were going through the same process. It was cleansing in a sense, leaving behind a world that seemed to be falling apart. Now an entirely new world of possibilities awaited them on Asteroid M.

In the midst of the excitement, Isaac continued praying. Everything was going smoothly thus far. He expected it to get much more difficult from here on out. Before the pod went too far, he sent out a message through a small ear-piece that was linked to Father Hansen.

"I have begun the ascension, Father. Pray for me the rest of the way," said Isaac under his breath.

" _I already am, my friend. I have just confirmed our status with our friends in District X. Everything else is in the hands of the divine now. May the Lord be with you."_

"And also with you," said Isaac solemnly.

Once the link went dead Isaac removed the ear-piece and crushed it in his hand. It may end up being the last words he ever uttered to Father Hansen. With a heavy heart and a determined soul, the holy man prepared for a struggle of biblical proportions.

* * *

 **Asteroid M – Citadel**

' _So this is what it feels like to come back from the dead. All I can say so far is it doesn't feel nearly as fantastic as everyone makes it out to be. Maybe it still hasn't sunk in yet. I just wish my head would stop spinning.'_

Lorna had missed a lot since she had been gone. The world was plenty chaotic before the Mutant Liberation Front abducted her. Now she found out that it had become so dangerous that it was safer to leave Earth entirely. She didn't bother trying to understand all the complications caused by the Genosha exodus or the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. It was hard enough processing the idea that she had been officially dead.

After her emotional reunion with the Brotherhood, Frenzy took her to the dormitories where she could rest. She was too tired to sleep so she ended up taking a shower and eating a good meal. Now in a bathrobe, she found herself staring out her window.

The landscape of City X was a lot like the Genosha, but more refined. In some ways, it was the kind of city they tried to make on Genosha. It was beautiful, organized, and clean. She could already see some of the former citizens of Genosha running through the streets, exploring their new home. She planned on doing some exploring as well, but that was dependent on her ability to catch up.

She arrived in the middle of something big. Her father was back and he was in the midst of an ambitious plan. Pietro and the Brotherhood gave her a brief overview. She was somewhat relieved to discover that the plan didn't involve starting another war. However, it still felt off in some ways. She had a hard time believing that her father would get behind a plan that involved giving humans mutant powers. It was one of the many issues coursing through her mind.

"It's quite a sight, isn't it?" came the familiar voice of Alex Summers, "A whole new world…full of new possibilities."

"How long have you been standing there?" asked Lorna without turning around.

"As long as it took for the silence to get awkward," he replied, "Should I stand a bit longer?"

"That's okay. I think I've had enough time to myself as it is. I need to start acting more normal at some point."

"Normal being a relative term when you're on an asteroid/space station," quipped Alex.

Lorna managed a slight smile, the first since she returned to the world of the living. She continued gazing out the window as Alex walked over to her. As soon as she felt his warm presence, she leaned into his embrace. He held her closely, letting her know just how much he had missed her. The emotions between them seemed much deeper after having been torn apart.

"How are you holding up?" asked Alex, "Or is it too early to ask that question?"

"I can't avoid it forever," she sighed, "I guess I'm doing okay. There are no time-tested strategies for returning from the dead."

"You don't sound like you've lost your mind so I guess that's a positive sign."

"Give me more time to dwell on it. I'm sure I'll start showing symptoms at some point."

"Even if you do, I'm sure they'll pass. You're too strong to go _that_ crazy," said Alex with a snicker.

"I hope you're right. We saw what happened to my father when he became unstable," said Lorna in a more serious tone, "I'm still not sure that he's back to his old self…not that he didn't have room for improvement."

"Well, he seemed okay when we arrived," said Alex, "Dr. Wyndham gave him the therapy he needed."

"That's another issue altogether. I'm not sure I trust this Dr. Wyndham," she said, now sounding a bit awkward.

"Even though he helped bring you back to life?" he reminded her.

"Don't get me wrong. I'm grateful to be alive again, but the moment I laid eyes on that man something felt…off," said Lorna distantly, "It makes me sick to my stomach every time I think about it. I've got enough on my mind as it is so I'm trying not to think about it too much."

"It should be low on your list of priorities right now. Creepiness aside, Dr. Wyndham has put together a hell of a world here. He's setting us up so we don't have to fight for survival. With Asteroid M, we can finally thrive. Since the rest of the world went to shit, it's a good time to get a leg up."

"I guess so. Maybe it's just the haze of death still lingering, but I can't fight this sinking feeling. Does that make me overly emo or something?"

"Hardly," Alex scoffed, "If anything, it just makes you human."

Lorna smiled again as he snaked his arm around her waist. She turned away from the window and looked into his eyes. Her warm gaze was enough to make even the most hardened fighter feel weak in the knees. Her absence had affected him in a profound. So many changes had left him and many others overwhelmed. Having her in his arms like this seemed to settle everything down.

"I never believed for a moment you were dead, Lorna," said Alex in a more emotional tone, "I'm not saying I still felt your presence on some psychic level or anything. I just knew in my gut you were still out there."

"Did the others ridicule you for that?" she asked as she trailed her hand down his face.

"They would have ridiculed me no matter what I felt," he told her, "Not having you around put everybody in a bad place. You're the kind of person who walks into an impossible situation and settle everything down with sheer heart. I sure as hell needed that. I made some pretty questionable decisions that you would have busted my balls over."

"I know. Pietro already told me about some of them," she said in a low tone, "I probably would have done more than that."

"And I would have deserved it," Alex went on, "But more than anything else, losing you made me realize just how precious you are to me. I…don't think I ever expressed that enough to you."

"You didn't have to, Alex. I already knew."

Alex became more choked up as he held Lorna tightly in his arms. Her conflicted gaze grew more focused with the kind of emotion that drew them together in the first place. As they shared in each other's warmth, they came together in a deep kiss. It was a feeling they had both missed. Feeling it again after having nearly lost one another only made it more meaningful.

"I love you, Lorna," said Alex as the kiss parted.

"I love you too, Alex," said Lorna in a deep tone.

"If you feel up to it, I can help you in making up for lost time," he said in a suggestive tone.

"Yeah…we both have a lot of _making up_ to do," she said with a grin.

"And a whole new world in which to do it."

The two lovers met in another passionate kiss. This time it was more heated than before. Imbued with new energy, their hands started roaming and gasps of desire soon filled the room. They were ready to make their way to the bed and unleash all the pent-up emotions that had been building. Unfortunately, the moment was interrupted by a new presence in Lorna's doorway, which Alex forgot to close.

"I hope you're not _celebrating_ already," said the deep voice of Dr. Wyndham, "We're still a way away from triumph."

"Dr. Wyndham!" gasped Lorna, now blushing profusely.

"We uh…whoa," said Alex upon turning around and seeing Dr. Wyndham in his new attire, "Is that a new uniform or something?"

"I guess you could say that," said Dr. Wyndham as he showed off his new high-tech exoskeleton, "But I'm not interested in what we're wearing or not wearing. I'm here because I've just given the Brotherhood an important new task. We're about to receive an influx of new residents and we need to make sure our defenses are at full power."

"Understood," said Alex as he regained his composure and turned back towards his girlfriend, "I guess this means we'll have to catch up another time."

"I can wait if I have to," said Lorna with a sigh.

"Good," said Dr. Wyndham with a grin, "Frenzy already has already led the Brotherhood down to the lowermost levels. I've given her and Pietro instructions on how to configure our defense shield. Once everyone is on board and secure, we'll activate it and ensure that nothing from the broken world below can harm us."

"Sounds like a plan, Dr. Wyndham. What will you be doing in the meantime?" asked Alex.

"Don't worry. I have plenty to keep me busy," he assured, "The first generation of this new world deserves a warm welcome. Magneto and I will take care of the logistics. You and the Brotherhood need only worry about basics."

Dr. Wyndham's demeanor and tone still didn't sit well with Lorna. She tried to hide her lingering uncertainties even after he left. Alex seemed less worried. He was prepared to see this through and so was the rest of the Brotherhood. For now, she had little choice other than to go along with it. However, she didn't set her suspicions completely aside.

"Oh and one more thing…" said Dr. Wyndham before he was too far out the door, "From now on…call me the High Evolutionary."

* * *

 **Asteroid M – Outside City X**

The ride to Asteroid M aboard the transport orbs was painfully long for some and uncomfortably short for others. Dozens of them had left Earth at nearly the same time. Some of them contained part of the one million anxious humans looking to start anew on Asteroid M. Others contained most of the world's mutant population. The Mutant Monitoring Initiative and the attack by White Cell had led many to become disillusioned with the current state of affairs. Asteroid M was the great hope for many.

For the X-men, there was more dread than hope. The inside their specialized transport pod was eerily silent as they made their way towards Asteroid M. They couldn't see outside the sphere, but they could hear the air pass over the pod while it was taking off. They knew they were in space when the silence took hold. An artificial gravity system within the sphere then took over, which left them disoriented for a moment. It also signaled that they had reached the point of no return.

The silence was only shattered when the pod started shaking as it re-entered an atmosphere of sorts. They could feel the pod slowing down. At one point it felt as though they were in a steady hover. There was no sense of where they were or when the pod would open. It left Cyclops, Phoenix, Beast, Storm, Wolverine, Rogue, Gambit, Nightcrawler, Colossus, Psylocke, Domino, Warpath, and Emma Frost feeling uncomfortably vulnerable. Professor Xavier and Captain Freeman turned to Wanda Maximoff, in whom they were placing a great deal of trust.

"How much longer are we going to have to act like sardines here?" asked Psylocke.

"As long as we have to," said Wanda as she looked around inside the pod, "I think the systems have completed their job. It feels like something else is guiding us now."

"Any idea on what or who?" asked Phoenix, "As if the list of things it could be was all that long to begin with?"

"I sense we'll find out soon enough," said Professor Xavier as he did a few psychic scans.

"Hope it be sooner than that. We trained to be X-men. Not astronauts," said Gambit, "Remy already feels safe in saying that space travel is overrated."

"This from a guy who went up against an alien civilization," commented Colossus.

"Alien civilization? I hope that's a code word for something else," said Domino.

"It's a long-ass story and we ain't got the energy to tell it," said Wolverine.

"Or the authority for that matter," said Captain Freeman, shooting the X-men a stern glare for discussion classified issues, "Try not to get too anxious, X-men. We need to stay focused. We're in Magneto's domain. That means he has every meaningful advantage."

"Sounds like a dang good excuse to get anxious," commented Rogue.

"All the more reason shut it out," the mutant soldier retorted, "Magneto's going to try and overwhelm us. We can't let that happen. We need to be ready to respond to whatever surprises he throws at us."

Almost immediately after Captain Freeman uttered these words, their transport pod was hit with a hard jolt. It felt like their pod had landed on hard ground. Everyone was on high alert as they looked around anxiously. They watched as the metallic walls of pod opened, revealing their exotic new surroundings and an unexpected scene.

"By stars and…" began Beast.

"Don't say it, Hank. We get it," grumbled Wolverine as he looked around.

"Still think we can avoid being overwhelmed, Captain?" asked Cyclops.

"I think that may be redundant at this point," said the mutant soldier.

The X-men had seen many amazing sights before. This set a new standard. Asteroid M was every bit as amazing as Magneto boasted, if not more so.

Their pod had landed at a near perfect observation point atop a large ridge that overlooked City X. From this ridge they could see a vast grassy plain just outside the city limits. On the ridge, dozens of transport pods had landed. The 50 that carried the humans that made it landed in a specific area. The pods carrying the mutants landed in an adjacent area. Between them was a long stretch of metal rails. It looked like everyone had stepped out from their pods. They all seemed equally amazed.

Asteroid M really had the feel of a new world. As they looked around, they could hear the screeches and cries of exotic animals. It didn't feel alien, but it didn't feel like anything on Earth either. While the X-men looked around in amazement, Professor Xavier turned towards Wanda Maximoff. She seemed to be the only one not completely surprised by the majesty of this world.

"I'd say Erik has outdone himself once again," the Professor commented.

"I think that's beyond dispute, Professor," said Wanda as she looked around.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say he's showing off by landing us here," said Storm.

"I doubt that's the only reason," said Xavier, "You know more about this than the rest of us, Wanda. Where do we go from here?"

"I'm afraid this is where my knowledge ends," she said distantly, "He made Asteroid M. He brought nearly the entire mutant population aboard along with a million humans. I honestly don't know what the next step in his plan entails."

"Why does it have to entail anything?" came a deep voice from above, "Why can't this be the end of a new beginning?"

The X-men recognized that voice before they even looked up. They all took defensive stances as they saw the master of magnetism himself descend from above. He looked a lot more vibrant than he did the last time they encountered him. It was as if overcoming his mental instability had reinvigorated him. While it was plenty of cause for concern, Professor Xavier waved down his X-men. Only Captain Freeman remained alert.

"Five seconds and he's not trying to kill someone," said Captain Freeman apprehensively, "That's gotta be a record."

"You _really_ need to learn how to make a better first impression, darling," said Emma, rolling her eyes.

"Pay no attention to him. He's new and his mutant power doesn't involve keeping his mouth shut," said Psylocke.

"It's quite alright, X-men. I'm too excited to be hostile," said Magneto as he landed, "I'm also relieved to see that my daughter got my message. She even came bearing gifts."

Wanda swallowed nervously as her father approached. She looked down at his helmet, which she still had in her hands. Xavier and Nightcrawler stood beside her, offering their support as she maintained her poise.

"Ve understand it vas stolen," said Nightcrawler, "Ve figured you would vant it back."

"Consider it a peace offering," said Professor Xavier.

"I appreciate the gesture, but I have no need for that helmet anymore. I only wore it because I was living on a world that seemed intent on attacking me physically and mentally. This isn't that world. This is Asteroid M."

"And what a world it is," said Beast as he observed some the nearby plants, "You've been quite busy since our last encounter."

"Ah'm all for a guy having a hobby, but this comes off as a bit _extreme_ ," said Rogue.

"Maybe he should've stuck to collecting stamps," said Warpath.

"I admit I lost control of my own ambition," conceded Magneto, "I came painfully close to letting it destroy me and everything I love. I've learned since then. I've come to some painful yet necessary realizations."

"Were those realizations supposed to the rest of the world at ease?" questioned Captain Freeman, "Because if that broadcast of yours was your best effort, I'd say it failed."

"I no longer care what those on Earth think. I've had it with them. They've proven to me once and for all that their world is a dead end. If they want to continue wallowing in their own misery, then that's their problem."

"That certainly sounds like something a sane Magneto would say," commented Colossus.

"That still ain't saying much, Ruskie," muttered Wolverine.

"I'm an old man. I no longer have the strength or the time to continue such needless toil," Magneto went on, ignoring their comments, "I understand now that I can't avenge the generations of mutants that humanity has oppressed. However, I can leave something behind for a new generation…one that I know will be in good hands when I'm gone."

Magneto gently cupped Wanda's chin. She looked up at him with many mixed emotions. He could tell she was still uncertain about his intentions. It showed in the way she clutched his helmet. He couldn't blame her for feeling so reluctant to trust him again. As a father and a leader, he had done much to undermine that trust. Asteroid M gave him an opportunity to earn it back.

"Father, you know I don't like it when you dwell on your age," said Wanda distantly.

"I know, Wanda. But contrary to what my actions may indicate, I'm not a god and I don't see myself as one," said Magneto.

"Could've fooled me," said Psylocke under her breath.

"I was fooled for quite some time," added Phoenix.

"Now that you and the X-men are here, I intend to show you that I have something in Asteroid M that will leave a lasting legacy," he said, "That brings me to why I brought you here to this scenic ridge."

"Why can't it ever just be for the view?" sighed Emma.

"You see, I was sincere in my message," Magneto explained, "I don't believe that all humanity should be left behind. I also believe that the mutants of the world take their status as the future of their species for granted. By bringing them together on Asteroid M, we can finally forge peace and understanding through all the hatred and fear we've struggled against."

"I can appreciate the premise and even the principles. It's the _methods_ that have me and many others so worried," said Professor Xavier.

"Then watch and see for yourself the majesty this world has to offer," said Magneto as he gestured towards the crowded field in the distance, "My friend and mentor, the High Evolutionary, is just about ready to complete this new world."

Cyclops, Phoenix, Beast, Storm, Wolverine, Rogue, Gambit, Nightcrawler, Colossus, Psylocke, Domino, Warpath, Emma Frost, Professor Xavier, and Captain Freeman looked out to see a new surge of activity. By now every mutant and human had left their pods. They were still admiring their new surroundings when the long metal rails that divided them lit up in a brilliant display of bluish light.

From that light, a large hologram formed. It was the face of the High Evolutionary. However, it was a face very different from the one Wanda Maximoff remembered.

"Father, is that Dr. Wyndham?!" she exclaimed.

"Indeed it is," said Magneto proudly.

"Did he always look so…" began Nightcrawler.

"Purple?" said Rogue when he couldn't find the words.

"Not at all," said Wanda, now with heightened suspicions.

"Dr. Wyndham has undergone through many changes," said Magneto, "Trust me when I say that it was necessary if not overdue. And please…call him the High Evolutionary."

The idea of trusting Magneto's word still didn't sit well. With cautious curiosity, the X-men watched on along with Wanda.

The High Evolutionary's appearance quickly drew the attention of both the humans and the mutants. Some were startled while others were intrigued. As his image came into focus, a swarm of small robotic orbs flew out from City X and swirled around the hologram. These robots projected his voice as he made an imposing first impression.

" _Greetings and welcome to your new home. I am the High Evolutionary. I'll be your guide through this exciting new world. I understand that some of you are scared. I hope your excitement and your spirit overshadows that fear because this truly is a new life for everybody. The lives you had on Earth are officially over. It's time to start anew."_

This announcement triggered some cheers from both the human side and the mutant side. The mutants seemed less afraid and more relieved that they were no longer under the thumb of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. They had experienced enough human/mutant conflict to want to escape it for good.

"Do these new lives include better food and indoor plumbing?" asked one mutant.

"Will we be forced to attend classes or something?" asked another mutant girl, "I heard the same new beginnings speech when I was forced into the Academy of Tomorrow."

" _Please save your questions for later. Rest assured, you'll find that the amenities of Asteroid M are more than comfortable,"_ said the High Evolutionary's image, _"Now I understand that the mutant population of your former world has undergone tremendous strain. First, you tried to carve out your own nation on Genosha. Then you tried to work with human authorities under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. These were all noble efforts, but their failure only proves what I've concluded over many years of research. The best way for mutants to evolve is to escape the limits imposed by humanity. Asteroid M is a world where mutants need not fear conflict with humanity, nor will they be inclined to seek it."_

More cheers from the mutants erupted as many saw great appeal in simply leaving the human race behind. That still left one million nervous humans on the other side of the rails. They weren't so certain of their future away from Earth because they were still human. They kept watching as the High Evolutionary turned to address them.

" _By that same token, it would be callous to simply abandon humanity. The human race has provided many contributions. While mutants have grown over the past century, their numbers are still too low to ensure a proper level of biodiversity for a new world. That is why we have reached out to humans who also feel their world has failed them. The mere fact you fought so hard to come here shows that you have the strength and spirit to become something greater. As such, it is a great honor to bestow unto you the new lives you seek."_

The holographic image of the High Evolutionary flickered ominously. From along the rails that projected his image, the floating robotic orbs rose up and swarmed around the humans. The orbs were soon joined by more orbs from within City X. They swirled around until they formed a large ball of precisely one million spheres.

Then, as they settled into a steady hover, every sphere shot out in a different direction and sought a different target. Within a minute or so, each orb was hovering right in front of a designated human.

The strange spectacle caused some to stumble back, but the orbs never left them. As they stared into the orbs anxiously, a red light flashed in the center and each orb opened up. Within each orb was a syringe filled with a glowing red fluid.

"Amazing," said an old man as he reached out to touch the orb.

"Is this a bad time to reveal that I hate needles?" said a middle-aged woman.

"It's worth it. Trust me!" said Vargas, who was still among the crowd of humans.

" _Do not be frightened,"_ said the High Evolutionary's image, _"In each orb is a biological cocktail that I've spent years refining. It will take the power of the X-gene and imbue it into your genome safely and effectively. I've made sure that the effects of each gene represent the optimum manifestations of the user. As residents of Asteroid M, you must be reborn to be part of this new ecosystem. You've left your world behind. Now it's time to leave behind your species."_

No one had a chance to argue or second-guess their decision. By the High Evolutionary's orders, the orbs extended a small robotic arm with the syringe. There was no way to escape it. In a nearly simultaneous moment, the orb robots injected the biological cocktail into the necks of every human. Some embraced it. For others, it caught them off guard. Whatever their reaction, the effects were nearly universal.

In mere seconds, the transformation began. Every human let out a fury of grunts and groans, tensing as the drug coursed through their system. It soon became an even greater spectacle than Asteroid M itself.

One by one every man, woman, and child underwent a drastic biological change. Imbued with a new mutant genome, they manifested a variety of new effects. Some had their skin and eye-color change. Some had their hair change color. Others developed new statures ranging from large and muscular to thin and wiry. Some even started manifesting powers such as wings, fire, and light projection. Anyone with a wound felt it heal nearly instantly. Anyone with a physical weakness felt it become a strength. It was truly a complete rebirth.

"WOW!" exclaimed one young boy, "I feel…awesome!"

"Does this mean my cancer is gone?" said an older man as he looked at his new form.

"I'm pretty sure cancer is no longer a concern for anybody," said the man's wife.

The groans and grunts soon turned to cheers. Even some of the mutants started clapping, seeing these humans become one of them. Once a species that had always been under threat, mutants were now one million individuals stronger. They were no longer outcasts. They were truly their own species and their own world.

From afar, the X-men watched this unfold in complete astonishment. Magneto and the High Evolutionary had delivered exactly what they promised. They didn't just create a new world. They created an entirely new ecosystem.

"Well Charles? What say you?" asked Magneto proudly.

Professor Xavier looked back towards his X-men and towards Wanda. Now all these new mutants shared a home and were indebted to both Magneto and this High Evolutionary. This along with many other lingering uncertainties didn't sit well.

"I think I speak for everyone when I say I'm impressed, Erik," he said.

"More than a little, that's for sure," said Captain Freeman.

"You still sound…skeptical," commented Magneto, "Do you not trust me, Charles?"

"Let's just say I'd like to see more of this new world of yours before I give you my trust. You've created something amazing yet potentially dangerous, Erik. I would like to see what you plan on doing with it."

* * *

 **Up next: High Evolution Part 3**


	23. Issue 171: High Evolution Part 3

**Issue #171  
High Evolution Part 3**

* * *

 _The evolution of mankind has caused immense conflict between humans and mutants. Professor Charles Xavier trained his X-men to fight for peace and understanding through the fear and hatred. For many years his old friend, Magneto, often opposed the X-men's efforts. He sought to destroy humanity and create a world where mutants were dominant. After numerous clashes, the Master of Magnetism has taken that goal quite literally._

 _With help from Dr. Herbert Wyndham, the self-proclaimed High Evolutionary, Magneto created a massive space station out of an asteroid. He calls it Asteroid M, a self-contained world in which mutants can live free from humanity. However, this world isn't just for mutants._

 _In a move that sent mixed reactions all over the world, he invited one million humans to join them provided they agree to become mutants as well. In a world already decimated by the attacks from White Cell and the ineptitude of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, there was no shortage of willing participants._

 _This move triggered suspicions from Charles Xavier, the X-men, and even his own daughter Wanda Maximoff. At the behest of the world governments, both the X-men and X-Force reunited as a single team and ventured with Wanda into Asteroid M. They arrived just in time to see the High Evolutionary create a million new mutants with technology refined from MGH. This leaves the X-men both highly suspicious and highly outnumbered._

* * *

 **Asteroid M – Sirius Lake**

"YAHHHOOOOOOO! I LOVE BEING A MUTANT!"

That joyous declaration rang out over a pristine, lakeside area that had become the site of an unofficial beach party. In the wake of their arrival and transformation, the one million new mutants that the High Evolutionary created along with the mutants that arrived from mutant communities began to settle in their new home.

Asteroid M was a big place with many lands to explore. A large group of newly created mutants decided to settle around a lake that the High Evolutionary called Sirius Lake. In this scenic area many explored their new powers and embraced this new world.

"Hey! I think I can breathe underwater," said a Nordic woman with light green skin and gill-like flaps on her neck.

"Really? Damn! Why couldn't I have gotten that power?" said a younger Latino male.

"What are you talking about? You can fly and spit fire!" quipped an older Latina woman, who appeared to be the man's sister.

"Did I say they bothered me?" he shrugged, "There are just so many powers to go around. I wish I could experience them all."

"And to think I used to hate mutants," laughed an Indian man with a long beard and bat-like wings.

Everyone seemed to be in a state of euphoria. These newly imbued mutants were embracing their new identity. The High Evolutionary made sure their powers were stable, controllable, and tailored to their genome. Men, women, and children from all walks of life back on Earth swam leisurely around in the lake while others relaxed on the shore. By all accounts, there were no drawbacks. For some, that was a red flag.

While he lingered with Magneto, Professor Xavier sent his X-men out to do some exploring of their own. They were tasked with surveying the area, interacting with the residents, and identify any potential threats. Storm, Warpath, Domino, Psylocke, and Colossus decided to explore the areas outside of City X. They also tried to learn more about the people that had chosen to leave everything behind and join Asteroid M.

"So where are you blokes from?" asked Psylocke to several new mutants as they lounged near the lake.

"Seoul, South Korea," answered one with bluish-gray skin.

"Rome, Italy," said a woman with glowing eyes.

"Johannesburg, South Africa," said a young man no older than 13.

"New Jersey. If you don't know the country, then how the fuck did you make it here?" said a stocky, middle-aged man wearing sunglasses.

Psylocke rolled her eyes. While many had undergone dramatic changes, some still hadn't evolved out of their personality.

"And what made you want to come here?" she asked them.

"Life back home wasn't getting any better," said the South Korean solemnly, "I never fit in with my family or friends. I was always an outcast."

"Same here. Plus, I had a criminal record that I could not escape," said the Italian woman.

"I probably would have had one if I had stayed. That's why my mother jumped at the first opportunity to get me here," said the South African boy.

"So where's your mom now? She get powers that make her invisible or something?" asked the guy from New Jersey.

"Actually…yes," said the boy with a humored grin.

In a brief flash that caused the man to drop his beer, the boy's mother appeared in front of him. She had been testing her new powers and returned to her son just in time to startle the immature man. It earned a round of laughs from the others. Even Psylocke found herself laughing.

They all had reasons for leaving Earth. Most of these reasons were perfectly valid. It seemed worth the price of becoming a mutant. So far, there had been no ill-effects of such a choice. That still didn't mean it wasn't a possibility and that's what led Psylocke to probe deeper.

While Psylocke continued interacting with random people, the rest of the group surveyed the lake from afar. They saw few signs of distress. Everyone seemed perfectly happy with their new lives so far. If there was a threat, it wasn't obvious just yet.

"How much longer is Psylocke going to keep mingling?" asked Domino, "Is this just her way of filling the void while her boyfriend is stuck on injured reserve?"

"You're compassion for your fellow teammates is impeccable, Domino," said Warpath dryly.

"It wasn't an insult. I don't get what she hopes to gain here. I'm starting to think we're wasting our time."

"It's never a waste to make connections," said Colossus.

"Sounds like a motto from the Russian mob," quipped Domino.

"It is," said the Russian, "These people did not conspire with Magneto from the beginning. They heard his call and they followed it. That makes them potential allies."

"And enemies," noted Warpath.

"That is true, but that only makes our efforts more important," said Colossus, "If Kitty was here, she would point out that by making these people mutants, Magneto has effectively created a million-mutant army for himself."

"And she would probably tell that right to everyone's faces as well so maybe it's a good thing she's not here," said Domino, which earned him a look from Colossus.

The team chemistry was still a work-in-progress. Joining X-Force with the X-men so abruptly made for a difficult transition. There was still tension between the two teams. It remained unspoken for the most part as they tried to stay focused on the mission. That was easier for some more than others.

"You've been pretty quiet, Storm. What's your take? Are we wasting our time here or what?" asked Warpath.

"I wish I could offer some input, but I've been a bit distracted here," said Storm, who kept shifting uncomfortably as she looked around.

"Is that because Warpath works up a sweat when he's paranoid?" joked Domino, earning her yet another harsh scold.

"It's because this artificial environment feels so…mechanical," she said.

"Mechanical?" questioned Warpath.

"I wish Beast were here to offer a nine-syllable word to describe it. That's all I can come up with because that's how it feels to me," she said as she gazed out over the lake, "My powers are closely connected to the forces of nature. However, there's nothing natural about these forces. This lake, the sky, the air, the winds…they're all so artificial."

"How is it any different than the Danger Room?" asked Colossus.

"The Danger Room as a certain intricacy to it," Storm went on, "That's why it never bothers me. But everything here on Asteroid M feels like it's guided. Every light breeze feels as though something or someone was placing it there."

"Magneto always struck me as a control freak," commented Warpath.

"Not like this," she said, her voice sounding more distressed, "Magneto is the master of magnetism. Not the master of nature. I just don't like how this feels. It's like at any given moment, everything within this Asteroid could turn on us."

Storm hugged her shoulders as more light breezes swept across the lake. Every other mutant seemed to enjoy it while it sent a shiver up the African woman's spine. Warpath offered a comforting gesture, which tempted Domino to make another comment. A stern look from Colossus helped restrain her. If what Storm sensed was real, then it may offer some telling clues.

While they mused over Storm's insights, Psylocke returned from her conversations with these new mutants. She looked just as unnerved as Storm. Apparently making connections hadn't set her mind at ease.

"What's wrong, Psylocke? Are the locals busting your chops _that_ much?" asked Domino.

"Not really," said Psylocke as she looked back at the five individuals she had just met, "In fact, everybody has been very polite. Even the ones who hated mutants before seem to have done an about face."

"So then why do you look like they just threatened to drown you in this lake?" asked Warpath suspiciously.

"It's their minds," said Psylocke strongly, "They all sound like they're completely in control of their faculties. However, I can't pick up on any stray thoughts."

"Could their minds be shielded?" asked Colossus.

"If they were, then I would have sensed it the moment we arrived," Betsy reasoned, "They may have just gained amazing new powers, but they're still ordinary blokes. There's no way that _every_ one of them could effectively guard their thoughts like this."

"I take this means we may be dealing with a powerful psychic," said Warpath.

"That's where it gets even trickier," she said cryptically, "Their minds may function normally, but the nuts and bolts don't feel normal. If anything, they feel…"

"Artificial?" offered Storm.

Psylocke looked at Storm with a raised eyebrow. It sounded like she wasn't the only one sensing this. It added to the mystery as well as the potential for danger.

"Since English is not my first language to begin with, I will assume that this is cause for concern," said Colossus.

"It may run deeper than that, luv," said Psylocke, "This whole world has the making of an elaborate circus act. Everything looks like a natural ecosystem. It may even function like one. But there's definitely some other force at work here."

"Then I suppose the important questions for us are how is it being controlled and who is doing the controlling?" said Storm.

"Why do we even need to ask who?" questioned Domino, "This is Magneto's ploy last I checked."

"That's one assumption we probably shouldn't make right now," said Psylocke, "We know the kind of damage Magneto can is capable of. It's the High Evolutionary that has me _really_ worried."

* * *

 **Asteroid M – Lower Levels**

Professor Xavier always struggled had mixed feelings around Magneto. Despite all the damage he had done, he still considered him a friend. Along with that friendship was the ability to read one another in a personal, non-psychic way. Magneto had always been good about guarding his thoughts. Xavier rarely needed to because Magneto often wore his emotions on his sleeve. It was for that reason he found their current situation so distressing. For the first time in years, he could not read this man.

Magneto's domineering personality had been unusually flat since their arrival. After the X-men witnessed the creation of one million new mutants, they were given a more comprehensive overview of Asteroid M. While some of the X-men broke off to do their own exploring, others stuck around for a more guided tour.

Cyclops, Phoenix, Beast, Captain Freeman, Nightcrawler, and Wanda were among those who stayed with the Professor as Magneto used his powers to fly them around this elaborate world. The more they saw, the more they came to appreciate the scale of this world.

The tour had included an overview of areas that included forests, jungles, grasslands, swamps, and deserts. Magneto also described the animals and plants that the High Evolutionary created and how they fit into this complex ecosystem. They were unlike anything back on Earth, but had plenty of familiar traits.

There were bird and bat-like creatures, fish and sea life of various shapes and functions, reptiles and lizards that bore a wide range of adaptive traits, and plenty of mammal-like creatures. They all seemed perfectly designed for a new world.

"I know the others are reluctant to say this, so I'll say it for them. I'm _impressed_ ," said Beast, who had been admiring every specimen within close range.

"I hoped that would go without saying, Beast. But I appreciate the sentiment," said Magneto as he guided the X-men along atop a hovering metal platform.

"You've never shied away from great feats on a grand scale, Erik. I think it's safe to say you've outdone yourself here," said Professor Xavier.

"Try not to let it go to your head," added Captain Freeman, "I enjoy being impressed as much as the next guy, but a little substance would go along with the style would help."

"As if that's going to make General Grimshaw or President Kelly feel any better about this place," muttered Phoenix under her breath.

"Oh I assure you, there is more than enough substance to ease your concerns. Although I don't expect the leaders of a broken world to understand," said Magneto, "This is exactly why I'm showing you the lower levels and no one else."

"Vhy is zhat? Do you have something to hide down here?" asked Nightcrawler in a serious tone.

"There's nothing to hide. Our residents won't need to venture down here for the same reasons that passengers on a cruise ship don't venture into the engine room. The difference being Asteroid M has more than just engines."

By now, Magneto had guided their platform into a large shaft that was built into the Citadel. From this shaft, they descended several thousand feet into the vast sub-levels of the space station. The sub-levels were arranged in a vast, cave-like layout. There were multiple levels, each containing different arrays of machinery and equipment. Many were lit with similar artificial lighting as shown on the surface. They seemed to have their function and worked together in perfect harmony.

"Within these levels reside all the mechanisms that allow Asteroid M to be completely self-sufficient," Magneto explained, "Several levels are dedicated to agriculture, utilizing advanced hydroponic technology to grow a wide variety of food in industrial quantities. Other levels use advanced tissue farming to create a similar variety of artificial meat products. I've eaten them myself. They're completely indistinguishable from farmed animals back on Earth."

"I'm sure it's relieving for those addicted to McDonald's Big Macs," commented Phoenix, "I know you wouldn't last a week without one, Kurt."

"Not as big a relief as you zhink, Jean," said Nightcrawler, "So long as zhere is some form of bacon, zhen I'm set."

"We have that and more than enough to sustain the residents of Asteroid M and their descendants," Magneto went on as they descended further, "The same goes for water. The High Evolutionary and I gathered large quantities of water from other asteroids and created a fully functional water cycle. It's not unlike the cycle on Earth, except this one is tightly regulated by a series of tanks, pumps, and filters."

"You seem to place quite an emphasis on self-sustaining systems," commented Wanda, "It makes you sound eager to remain separate Asteroid M from Earth."

"I fail to see how that's a bad thing, Wanda," Magneto retorted.

"I'm not saying it is, but when you told me about this you said Asteroid M would be less its own world and more its own domain," she argued, "I thought the goal was to cut mutants off from human oppression. Not cut them off from humans _entirely_."

"That was indeed the goal. However, much has changed since then. With the way human affairs have degraded, it is in our best interests to keep our distance. The rest of the Brotherhood understands and agrees with this. I expect the same from you, Wanda."

Wanda shifted under her father's tone. She was trying hard to set aside her doubts. She kept trying to prove herself wrong, hoping that the X-men wouldn't have to stop her father's madness for once. She still couldn't shake the nervous feeling that had plagued her since their arrival. She looked over towards Kurt, who tried to keep his composure but did a very poor job of it.

"These self-sustaining systems must require substantial maintenance," commented Beast, "Are you and the Brotherhood equipped to run this whole world?"

"Not forgetting that the Brotherhood probably couldn't run a toaster," said Phoenix, under her breath.

"I'd rather not debate the competence of the Brotherhood," said Magneto, "Luckily for them and the rest of Asteroid M, these life processes are fully automated by advanced AIs. As such, there is little need for maintenance. Only a select few have access to major systems."

"Thus allowing those select few (which I'm assuming you're part of) full authority over all the essentials of life," said Captain Freeman cynically, "What exactly prevents you or someone else from abusing it?"

"I don't have as much authority as you think," said Magneto as they passed by a few more levels containing what looked like computer equipment, "The Warlock computers you see before you are the source of that AI. The High Evolutionary designed it to be so robust that even I would have a hard time stopping it."

"But you could if you _really_ wanted to," said Cyclops.

"Why would I ever want to?" quipped Magneto, "I'm an old man who exerted enough effort to construct this world. I don't have the energy to micromanage. And as you can see, I would have an awful lot to manage."

Magneto's point was made painfully clear as they descended through the sub-levels below the water systems. Within those levels, there were large server farms of Warlock components. They were so large that it was hard to see where they ended. Each server bore the distinct blackish hue with yellowish circuits. Each circuit flashed steadily, indicating that they were working full capacity.

"That's quite an exorbitant amount of computing power, even for Warlock technology," commented Beast.

"Hope that means you still have a decent tech support," said Phoenix as she looked over the vast array of Warlock computers.

"It must have been difficult to assemble," said Professor Xavier, "Might I ask where you obtained it?"

"You said you were working on this before the Brotherhood returned with all their tech from Genosha," said Cyclops, "Tech like this is pretty hard to come by. We spent a good deal of time cleaning up the messes it caused."

"The source of this hardware is not important. The High Evolutionary worked on these systems for decades. It doesn't matter where it came from. All that matters is they work for our residents and the future generations that follow."

"That's all well and good, but with all due respect I think it _does_ matter," argued Beast, "We have first-hand experience with this technology. We understand better than most the kind of trouble it causes and the lengths many go to in order to obtain it."

"On top of that, we haven't met the High Evolutionary as you call him," said Professor Xavier, "You seem to be placing more trust than usual with this man. And I know you don't give out such trust readily, Erik."

"You're right. I don't," he affirmed, "But the High Evolutionary has done more than enough to earn it. If you have concerns about the technology Asteroid M utilizes, then you're more than welcome to ask him."

The metal disk they picked up speed as Magneto guided them to the lowest region of the Asteroid. The setting quickly changed from a cave-like layout to full-fledged labyrinth. The shaft leading to the surface finally ended at a large, dome-shaped area that contained the biggest, most elaborate machinery they had seen yet. It wasn't just one machine either.

There was a large array of massive machines that stood as large as mid-sized buildings. There was an array of domes around the perimeter, each linked by massive lines of heavy cables. Those domes were in turn linked with another array of antenna-like structures that fed right up into the roof of the dome and most likely to the surface. Most bore the distinct traces of Warlock technology. Some had a more metallic texture. The one thing they all had in common was the sheer power they radiated.

At the center of it all was a massive metallic structure shaped like an upside-down pyramid. The machine fed into the surface and out into the vacuum of space. Unlike the other machines, this one appeared to be only partially operational. Along the base of the structure, the X-men saw the Brotherhood hard at work making it fully operational.

Quicksilver, Havok, Polaris, Pyro, Blob, Kid Omega, Mellencamp, Unus, and Frenzy were all working under the direction of the High Evolutionary, who was conducting some sort of experiment on a platform several levels above the surface. Once again, the X-men were taken by the sheer size of Asteroid M. It made sense that something so big would require such elaborate components. As they reached the platform, this powerful scale was matched with the High Evolutionary's equally powerful presence.

"Ah, my esteemed guests," greeted the High Evolutionary as he looked up from his experiment, "I see you returned from your tour. I trust it was successful."

"In a manner of speaking, I'd say so," said Magneto.

"I'm not sure vhat _manner_ you're referring to, but if you vanted us to appreciate zhe scale of zhis world zhen it vas certainly a success," said Nightcrawler.

"I'll say. Makes me wonder if you're compensating for something," commented Captain Freeman.

"Well, when you're creating a new world, size _does_ matter," said the High Evolutionary with an ominous grin.

"Like any man has ever said _that_ with a straight face," said Phoenix under his breath.

The High Evolutionary seemed unaffected. He casually finished his experiment, which involved testing some of the circuits on the central machine. Using a wrist-mounted holographic computer, he verified that everything was functioning properly before he turned around to confront the X-men.

"You're timing is impeccable. I just finished calibrating the most important component of Asteroid M's infrastructure," said the High Evolutionary.

"What's this one do? Store all the internet porn that your new residents will require?" said Captain Freeman.

"Slightly more vital if you can believe that," said the High Evolutionary, "This level contains the transverse electromagnetic modulation thrusters and the cosmic fusion generators that power it."

"And that's supposed to be more vital than internet porn?" questioned Captain Freeman.

"I think you're overdoing the good-cop/bad-cop, Captain," scolded Cyclops.

"Not to come off as the good cop, but I presume that means this gargantuan gizmo is what controls Asteroid M's orbit," said Beast as he assessed the structure.

"Ah, so there are those who appreciate the breadth of Warlock technology," said the High Evolutionary with a grin, "I was beginning to worry that Magneto and I were alone."

"Yes…about this Warlock technology," said Professor Xavier as he looked did his own assessment, "I was hoping we could talk about it in greater detail. It would go a long way towards reassuring some very worried leaders back on Earth."

"I'm sure zhey won't feel any better vhen we tell zhem the Brotherhood is vorking on it," said Nightcrawler.

"What are they doing down there anyways?" asked Cyclops, "Last I checked, my brother wasn't equipped to handle alien technology."

"Don't worry about them. They're merely lending a hand," assured the High Evolutionary, "While I can't go into every detail about my experiments, I can assure you that this device is as necessary as it is harmless. If you'll recall, Magneto retrieved a rather vital component from Genosha recently."

"Is it the same component that set off a panic with every government on the planet?" questioned Xavier.

"And nearly made Black Tom a billion times richer in zhe process?" added Nightcrawler.

"That was an unfortunate turn of events," said Magneto, "Originally, I wanted you to be the one that retrieved it, Charles. That's why I sent you that message."

"Maybe next time you should try email," said Phoenix.

"But why me?" asked the Professor.

"Aside from trusting that you would know how to handle it, I wanted you to see Asteroid M first," Magneto answered, "I hoped we could work together in building this new world. It didn't appear that your Mutant Monitoring Initiative was working. Can you look me in the eye and tell me that you weren't open to an alternative?"

The Professor held his head somewhat lower. Under any other circumstance, he wouldn't have considered working with Magneto. The recent events surrounding the Mutant Monitoring Initiative made it much harder to ignore. He still didn't see himself joining his former friend in an endeavor this excessive. What disturbed him was how viable it sounded given the situation back on Earth.

"Let's just say I'm _sickened_ by how much I've had to compromise lately," said the Professor in a low tone.

"It's a good thing you kept that from General Grimshaw. He'd have been even sicker," said Captain Freeman.

"All the more reason to make up for it now that you're here," said the High Evolutionary, "In case anyone back on Earth is curious, the device you encountered was a rare electromagnetic resonance core. It's not something you can conjure up with normal Warlock technology. In fact, it was taken directly from the alien ship that once resided under Genosha."

"How the hell do you know about that?" asked Captain Freeman with ever greater suspicion.

"With cosmic awareness like mine, I see many things that others can't," he replied, his eyes flashing in the process, "That resonance core is vital to the security of Asteroid M. I didn't go through the trouble of creating such a majestic world without conjuring a means of defending it. This device, once the Brotherhood puts the rest of it together, will create a powerful shield the likes of which could block out the energy of every bomb humanity has ever detonated tenfold."

"Why would you need to shield a place like this?" questioned Wanda, "You're already on an orbiting asteroid that's out of range from every Earth-based weapon."

"Think of it as an alternative to another arms race," said Magneto, "We're under no illusions here. We know that there's little you can tell your friends back on Earth that would dissuade them from planning an attack on Asteroid M. We're just making sure they have nothing to threaten us with."

The master of magnetism waved his hand, triggering new activity within the massive device. Several parts of it lit up. Energy from the nearby generators started flowing into it, causing the conduits to glow and the wires to spark. It triggered some extra down where the Brotherhood was working as well.

"Hey! I told you we needed another twenty minutes," yelled Quicksilver.

"Quit rushing us. We'll get it done," added Havok.

The High Evolutionary grinned as he gazed over the device. The X-men were still anxious about what they were seeing. Whenever Magneto constructed an elaborate machine, it often meant trouble. The concept of a shield around Asteroid M sounded benign. However, there were still plenty of lingering questions.

"I would certainly like to learn more about this assortment of advanced technology," said Beast, "It seems you have left little to chance in making this new world of yours functional."

"I've spent nearly a half-century developing it. How could I not?" said the High Evolutionary.

"I would also like to establish a line of communication with President Kelly," added Professor Xavier, "We need to report what we've seen. It will go a long way towards easing the tension back on Earth."

"Is that really necessary, Charles?" questioned Magneto, "Have you seen anything that would discredit the detailed broadcast I made earlier?"

"I think you're overestimating your credibility, Magneto," said Captain Freeman with folded arms, "Painting a pretty picture to a world you've tried to destroy more than once just won't cut it."

"Are you actively trying to make this mission more dangerous?" said Phoenix as she scolded the mutant soldier.

"I _begrudgingly_ admit he has a point," said Magneto, "It couldn't hurt to send a message back to Earth. Humans tend to act irrationally in the light of ignorance."

"Agreed," sighed the High Evolutionary, "I suppose I can give you a more detailed insight into Asteroid M. If you follow me to my lab, I'll be happy to…"

The imposing figure was unexpectedly cut off when his wrist computer started beeping. The timing couldn't have been more inappropriate. Professor Xavier and his X-men were already deeply suspicious of his activities. This certainly would not help.

"Oh dear, this is most unfortunate," said the High Evolutionary as he brought up his holographic computer.

"Is something wrong?" asked Professor Xavier.

"It's a minor problem," he replied in a disgruntled tone, "Apparently, only 999,999 doses of my mutant genome were administered. One has found away to escape it and is running around in City X."

"Perhaps someone had a change of heart," said Phoenix.

"I doubt it's that simple. Not with the systems I have in place," said the High Evolutionary in a more serious tone, "It appears we'll have to hold off on a more detailed tour. This is something that must be addressed."

"Then let us tag along," said Cyclops, "Maybe we can help."

"Now _you're_ trying to earn _our_ trust?" questioned Magneto, "Perhaps you're overestimating your credibility as well."

"Let's not be unreasonable, old friend. If they want to help, who are we to deny them?" said the High Evolutionary as he brought up a new tracking program on his computer, "Even if it is just a feeble excuse to keep an eye on us."

"I need to work on my poker face," sighed Captain Freeman.

"Consider it an act of trust," said Professor Xavier, "Let us see how you handle conflict within your new world. That will allow us to send a more positive report to the anxious leaders back on Earth."

The suspicion in their tone was still apparent. Seeing all this high-tech hardware and the systems it ran didn't set anyone's mind at ease. They needed assurance of another kind. Magneto remained hesitant, but the High Evolutionary expressed no concerns. The X-men wanted to occupy themselves with these issues. That would only work further to their advantage.

"Very well," said Magneto, "I'll take us back to the citadel."

"No need to rush. We've got plenty of time," said the High Evolutionary.

"Never thought a guy in a purple suit could sound so eccentric and so laid back," said Captain Freeman under his breath.

"Or maybe his poker face is zhat much better than yours," commented Nightcrawler.

Cyclops, Phoenix, Beast, Nightcrawler, Wanda, Captain Freeman, and Professor Xavier held on once more as Magneto summoned his powers once more. He retrieved the magnetic platform that had taken them all over Asteroid M.

They stepped on with the High Evolutionary, who continued assessing the situation using his wrist-mounted computer. So far there had been no signs that anything was amiss, but Wanda wasn't ready to set it aside just yet and neither were the X-men. It was only a matter of time before the truth became painfully clear.

* * *

 **Asteroid M – City X**

"Be honest, X-men. Are you not truly impressed by this marvelous world?" asked an enthused Vargas.

"I'm impressed with guys who can fight off sentinels when he's hung over," said Wolverine, "You gotta do more than boast if you want us to take this act of yours seriously, bub."

"So that's what Remy's been doing wrong all this time," joked Gambit.

"Well if you fellas won't say it, Ah will," said Rogue, "This is a dang nice city! Ah don't think any mutant would mind living here."

It was a partial show of approval, but it was the best Vargas could hope for at this point. He had led Wolverine, Rogue, Gambit, and Emma Frost on a tour of City X. By now numerous mutants including those that had been transformed and those from mutant communities were starting to carve a new home for themselves in this vast world.

Some settled in the central parts of the city where special commercial sectors had been arranged. Throughout the area, the new residents could set up businesses, schools, and entertainment centers. Further out from the center were residential buildings. Some were large apartment complexes while others were simple houses. There was a wide range of styles and designs, ensuring everyone could find a fitting place to live and work.

By and large, the new residents of Asteroid M seemed happy. Throughout the tour, the X-men passed various mutants that were very excited about starting new lives. Those who had come from poor countries or a difficult background were in awe of how high-tech and clean everything was. They even recognized a few of the mutants as former residents of Genosha like Senyaka and students of the Academy of Tomorrow like Mercury.

"Oh uh…Miss Frost," said Mercury nervously as they walked by, "I didn't think you would join Asteroid M."

"Spare me the formality, Miss Kincaid. We're not at the academy anymore. It's not like I can give you detention," said Emma, rolling her eyes, "And for your information, we're not _joining_ anything."

"Then why are you here?" asked Senyaka suspiciously, "I can't imagine Magneto or the High Evolutionary being comfortable with X-men."

"Ah could ask you the same," said Rogue with folded arms, "Ain't you the one that the Brotherhood imprisoned when you tried to support the Mutant Liberation Front?"

"That's in the past. As is everything else that took place in the old world," he retorted.

"Keep telling yourself that, bub. It won't make you any less of an ass," said Wolverine.

"Cut us some slack. It got _really_ bad back on Earth and the X-men couldn't fix it," said Mercury.

"No one is arguing that. No one is even arguing that you had valid reasons to leave it all behind," said Emma, "You're not the first one of my former student's that I've seen. You and many others were forced into my Academy just as others were forced to take sides."

"Then why do you still glare at us like we're the bad guys?" asked Senyaka.

"You mean aside from following Magneto?" quipped Gambit.

"That's part of it," explained Emma, "You and everyone else seem all too eager to embrace the spectacle of this world. No one seems to question the price they'll have to pay. It's a simple rule that any successful businesswoman understands. It it's too good to be true, it probably is."

Senyaka and Mercury didn't care for Emma's harsh tone, but found it difficult to scold her logic. Everything they had experienced since arriving on Asteroid M had been amazing. It had food, shelter, infrastructure, open space, and above all protection from human oppression. It really felt too good to be true and that didn't sit well now that Emma had pointed it out. Before they could dwell on it further, Vargas stepped in.

"You'll have to debate the costs of paradise some other time," he told them, "We still have much to see before we meet up with Magneto and the High Evolutionary."

"You seem awfully eager to shut us up," said Wolverine defensively, "Ain't that the first sign of authoritarian bullshit?"

"If that's the first, then secrecy would be the second," added Emma, "I notice you've been guarding your thoughts quite ardently. Any psychic will tell you that a guarded mind is red flag for disturbing thoughts."

"I've hid nothing from you and neither has Magneto," said Vargas strongly, "How can I when I haven't even shown you all of City X?"

"Ah'm all for sight-seeing, but you still ain't giving us enough reasons to trust you," said Rogue, "If memory serves meh right, you admitted you were the fella in Boston that was hooked on MGH. You caused us more than a few problems and you ain't answered for any of them."

"That was another time and another life," he retorted, "It was also necessary for the High Evolutionary's research. MGH is a key component to the process that gave us one million more mutant residents."

"That didn't make all the trouble that gunk caused any less annoying," said Rogue.

"Oh come now. It wasn't a total loss," argued Vargas, "We had Sebastian Shaw and White Cell do all the grunt work. In the end it led to their downfall, which if I recall you X-men played a major role."

"I'm all for screwing over Sebastian Shaw, but one of my own students got involved with that drug and it ruined him in ways I'd rather not recall," said Emma Frost, "I'm lucky he was stopped before he met up with the Brotherhood. That would give me more than enough reasons to _discipline_ you in a very unpleasant manner."

"I apologize if my misguided actions inconvenienced you. However, they did serve a purpose. They allowed the High Evolutionary to perfect his procedure. It turned me from a feeble man into the powerful mutant you see before you."

"We can accept your apology, homme. But only if you be willing to make up for it," said Gambit.

"And how would you propose I do that?" scoffed Vargas.

"By pausing this tour of yours and submitting yourself to a telepathic scan," said Emma.

"That's not going to happen," he said sternly.

"It ain't as bad as it sounds," said Wolverine, "I've had psychics probe my mind before. So long as you ain't got any nasty secrets, you'll come out intact."

"If it makes you feel better, you can look down my uniform the whole time," offered Emma.

The X-men were starting to get insistent. Showing them the wonders of Asteroid M just wasn't enough. They wanted to see inside his mind and there were a great many reasons why they shouldn't. Wolverine, Emma, Gambit, and Rogue surrounded him as if he was a criminal of sort. It made Vargas both uncomfortable and angry.

His reluctance further heightened the X-men's suspicions. Vargas had already proven to be a trouble-maker in the past. He was the reason Sebastian Shaw and White Cell got their hands on MGH. Him becoming a mutant didn't change that. If anything, it made Vargas more likely to have some insight. The rest of the X-men hadn't reported any major developments from their end. Vargas was in a position to either confirm or dissuade their concerns.

"I don't like where this is going, X-men," said Vargas, "You've been treated with the utmost hospitality since your arrival. I urge you _not_ to abuse it."

"That a treat, bub?" snarled Wolverine.

"It's a warning. Neither Magneto nor the High Evolutionary will tolerate such hostility on Asteroid M."

"Maybe it's a good time to warn you that we ain't gonna stick our heads in the sand just because you're nice to us," said Rogue.

"You're making a mistake by not accepting such charity," Vargas went on, "This is exactly why the world you left is in decay. Magneto and the High Evolutionary saw it. Everyone who chose to come here saw it and no one has shown any regret. Is that not proof enough that this world is as sincere as it is spectacular?"

The X-men were prepared to push harder with this man. It ended up being unnecessary because an unexpected commotion erupted from a nearby housing complex. Someone wearing a brown cloak had just come running out with a couple of angry mutants following close behind.

"Stop him! Don't let him get away!" yelled a former Genosha citizen.

"He's a traitor! We must turn him over to the High Evolutionary!" exclaimed a former female human with gray skin as she followed close behind.

"I'm neither!" yelled the figure in the cloak, "I'm trying to help you! You're all being led by a false prophet!"

"Will somebody shut him up already?" said another mutant that had joined the chase.

The commotion quickly escalated. Several mutants with abilities that included firepower tried to attack him. They shot at him with energy bolts, electric sparks, fire, and telekinesis. The hooded figure managed to avoid them by ducking behind a parked transport orb. It was the first sign of trouble since anyone had arrived in Asteroid M and it came at a very inopportune time for Vargas.

"You were saying?" said Emma smugly.

"A bad apple in a lush orchard," Vargas replied flatly, "If you'll excuse me, I'm sure Magneto and the High Evolutionary expect me to take care of this."

"Allow us to lend a hand," said Gambit as he drew a fresh deck of cards.

"Besides, it'll distract meh from disturbing thoughts of mah brother undressing Wanda Maximoff with his eyes," said Rogue as she took to the air.

"Very well," said Vargas begrudgingly, "But don't forget that Earth laws don't apply here on Asteroid M. We're bound strictly by the laws of evolution."

Vargas ran straight towards the transport orb where the cloaked figure had cowered behind. A number of mutants continued firing at him, trying to flush him out. He proved determined if not foolish, remaining cloaked and hidden.

As soon as the X-men reached him, Wolverine and Rogue flew out in front of the parked transport orb. Using their durable forms, they absorbed the incoming blasts from the unruly mutants. They were clearly protective of their new home and reacted swiftly to any perceived threat.

"Get out of the way! Why are you protecting an intruder?" exclaimed one of the mutants that was shooting blue fire at the orb.

"We're on a floating space rock. What kind of _intruding_ is that?" questioned Rogue as she absorbed the blasts.

"He has rejected this wonderful gift! He must be here to destroy us!" said a pale-skinned mutant that tried to run after the intruder.

Wolverine stepped directly into the path of the incoming mutant. He discovered the hard way that this man's powers involved making his arms and legs bigger and using them to deliver punishing hits. Wolverine was slammed into the transport orb by the first blow, but he quickly shook it off and countered. The mutant who was obviously new to his powers tried to strike again. This time Wolverine avoided it and ran up his oversized arms as if they were bridges and landed a rough kick to the chest.

"Take it from me, bub. Paranoia ain't healthy," snarled Wolverine, "It leads to shit like _this_."

The feral mutant drew his claws to further make his point. That seemed to dissuade the pale-skinned mutant and the others that were shooting at the orb. It allowed Gambit, Emma Frost, and Vargas to reach the cloak figure as he remained pinned against the orb.

"I hope you got a dang good reason for makin' a scene, homme," said Gambit as he drew his bow staff in preparation.

"Cooperate and my superiors _might_ show mercy," said Vargas.

"You think I fear pain or wrath? You've nothing to threaten me with!" said the cloaked figure defiantly.

"That holier-than-thou tone sounds familiar," commented Emma.

"I don't care who you are. You're defying the bylaws of Asteroid M," said Vargas, "You chose to come here. As such, you _must_ become a mutant."

"Those who offer to bless others through deception are nothing more than false prophets. And I don't follow false prophets. It is my God-given duty to thwart them!"

As the figure rose up, he removed his cloak to reveal his identity. Gambit and Emma recognized him immediately. It was Isaac from the Church of Humanity. His seemingly unflappable faith had gotten him into trouble once more.

"Dang! You right about him sounding familiar, Frost," said Gambit.

"Isaac?" exclaimed Rogue, who was still flying overhead, "What in the hell are you doing here?"

"You know this human?" asked Vargas suspiciously as he confronted the holy man.

"In a manner of speaking," said Emma dryly, "He's a one-man crusader who has no sense of subtlety."

"I don't care who he is. He's threatens the sanctity of Asteroid M. As such, he must be punished!" said Vargas.

Isaac tried to run away again. This time Vargas didn't let him get far. He grabbed him by his cloak and pulled him into a choke hold. His mutant strength ensured that no amount of faith could protect him. With a firm hold on his neck, he pinned the holy man against the transport sphere.

"Ack! The devil…has made you strong," gasped Isaac.

"Neither the devil nor your god have any authority here," said Vargas strongly as he tightened his grip.

"You wanna ease up on the guy? It ain't like he spat in your gumbo," said Gambit as he and Emma tried to pull him back.

"He's a human in a world that embraces evolution. In this world, that is the highest of crimes!" said Vargas.

"I take it this means you no longer care about earning our trust," said Emma Frost as Vargas shoved her off.

"If you continue to interfere, then you'll be guilty of similar crimes," threatened Vargas.

He looked ready to snap Isaac's neck. There was no due process on Asteroid M. The High Evolutionary made that clear to him. If there was a threat of any kind to his world, it must be dealt with swiftly. The X-men didn't seem to understand this dedication and that made them just as deserving as this pitiful human.

"Let him go!" yelled Rogue as she flew in from above.

"Don't be foolish X-men!" warned Vargas, "By protecting this human, you'll only-UNGH!"

Rogue ignored his warnings before she even heard them. Flying in at high speeds, she struck him with a punishing blow to the chest that knocked Vargas on his back and caused him to release Isaac in the process. Now free from Vargas's death grip, the holy man gasped to catch his breath.

"You picked a hell of a time for a sermon, Isaac," said Rogue with a mix of relief and scorn, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"It's nice to see you too, Rogue," he replied breathlessly, "Please forgive me. I was trying to remain unseen until the time was right."

"Right for what?" questioned Gambit, "You done trapped yourself in a floating rock full of mutants. What was your plan? Preach the danger away?"

"That can't be it. Even you ain't _that_ dedicated, Isaac," said Rogue in a more serious tone, "Talk to meh, sugah. What's going on?"

Isaac hesitated to answer. He considered Rogue a close friend with a good soul. It would have been beyond sinful to just lie to her. Without having fully caught his breath, he escaped from her gaze and limped off.

"I'm sorry, Rogue. But I cannot say," he said sadly, "The Lord as my witness, it'll make sense soon enough. I promise!"

"Dang it, Isaac! Wait!" urged Rogue.

"Arrogant fool! You will not escape!" seethed Vargas.

Despite the lingering sting from Rogue's blow, Vargas rose up and started chasing after Isaac. He caught up quickly thanks to his advanced agility. Once again, he was thwarted before he could reach him. This time he was tackled from behind by Wolverine. Having scared off the mutant residents, he caught up just in time to make sure Vargas didn't exact Asteroid M style justice.

"I ain't sure if you're overreacting or if you're just a natural dirt bag. I'm plenty sure I don't give a damn either way," said Wolverine as he pointed his claws at Vargas's head.

"Errrr! Is this part of your plan? To obstruct mutant kind's one chance at peace?" grunted Vargas.

"Your act smells worse than your breath!" grunted the former living weapon, "Why does one human make you throw a damn hissy fit? Are you _that_ insecure or is there something else that bugs you?"

Vargas kept grunting and struggling under Wolverine's grip. His reluctance to respond only heightened Wolverine's curiosity. He was even more certain than before. This man was hiding something and Isaac's presence threatened it.

While Wolverine kept Vargas pinned, Isaac struggled to run with shortened breath. He put his cloak back on to cover his head and to slip behind another series of parked transport orbs. Once again, he ran into an unexpected obstacle in the form of Mercury and Senyaka. As former acolytes from Genosha, they didn't run from danger as quickly as everyone else.

"You're a long way from home, little man," said Senyaka as he cracked his knuckles.

"Do us all a favor. Quit making a scene before you mess up this freshly minted world," said Mercury as she formed liquid-metal blades with her arms.

"Forgive me, but I'm not in a position to grant favors," he said as he stumbled back, "I'm on a crusade and the Lord won't allow me to fail."

"Keep pushing your luck and you'll get to tell him first-hand why you screwed up," said Senyaka.

Isaac had already turned around and started running in the other direction. Senyaka ran after him, forming an energy whip in the process. Before Isaac could get out of range, the Sri Lankan mutant twirled his whip around and directed it towards the holy man. Sensing it was coming, Isaac managed to jump ahead and avoid a direct strike. He still felt it hit him on her lower calf, causing a sharp sting as it absorbed a touch of his energy.

"Ungh!" grunted Isaac as he nearly fell flat on his face.

"Go easy on him, Senyaka. He's still human, remember?" said Mercury.

"It's his own damn fault," said Senyaka as he kept twirling his whip, "My powers have a very simple premise. One touch of my special whip and feel more ravaged than a Pakistani slum. I can try and be gentle, but I can't make any promises."

Senyaka prepared another strike. Isaac still felt a powerful sting in his leg. It was like someone drove a nail straight through his knee. He kept crawling forward, inching his way back towards where the X-men and Vargas were standing. Before Senyaka struck, he prayed for the strength he needed.

"Lord…your mercy is sorely needed," he said.

Senyaka took aim and unleashed his attack. Once again, Isaac managed to avoid it by rolling to his side. However, in doing so he left Vargas and Wolverine right in the line of fire. Only Wolverine saw it coming. As the swirling energy whip drew closer, he instinctively jumped to the side to avoid it. This left only Vargas to take the brunt end of the attack.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he cried out as the energy whip drained him of his essence.

"Ooh…my aim must be rusty," said Senyaka sheepishly.

"You think?!" grunted Wolverine who barely avoided it.

Wolverine and Isaac watched as Vargas contorted under Senyaka's essence-draining abilities. Rogue, Gambit, and Emma Frost caught up as well. Rogue and Gambit met up with the wounded Isaac, who struggled to get up.

"You really be making our jobs tough by being such a wild card," said Gambit as he helped the holy man up.

"I didn't mean for it to happen like this. God has not made this crusade easy for me," lamented Isaac.

"Well you better hope that God has a plan because ours is officially messed up!" said Rogue.

Isaac held his head low as he stood gingerly on his injured legs. At the same time, Senyaka had retrieved his energy whip. Vargas was still lying face down on the ground, his body smoldering somewhat from the impact. Wolverine rose to his feet and kept a cautious eye on the volatile man. Emma rushed to his side as well, but abruptly stopped short. As she neared Vargas's injured form, she clutched her head and groaned.

"Gonna have a hell of a time explaining this shit to Magneto," groaned Wolverine before turning to Emma, "What's the matter, Frost? Afraid this guy's stench will clash with your overpriced perfume?"

"Shut up, Logan! I think our S&M enthusiast's poor aim did us a favor," said Emma strongly.

"Hey! Who do you think you are, lady?" said Senyaka angrily.

"I'm the high-level telepath that just sensed Vargas's mind open up after he went down for a nap," she explained, "He was definitely hiding something. His shields were imposed by an outside force to cover up a certain slot of memories. I think I can piece them together with a little…"

The powerful psychic froze in mid-sentence and gasped. Her focus quickly turned to dread as a stream of thoughts coursed through her mind. They revealed more than just closely guarded secrets. They revealed a threat that was bigger than anyone could have imagined.

"My God…that crazy son-of-a-bitch," seethed Emma, "I knew something was off about him from the moment he gave his fancy speech!"

"Skip the outrage Emma. Give us dirty details! As if you ain't good at it!" said Wolverine as the others listened intently.

"Looks like we were only half-right," she said as she continued probing with her telepathy, "This isn't just about creating a new world. It's about purging the old world and controlling everything that's left."

"So it's another mass extinction plot? And here Ah was thinking Magneto was more original than that," said Rogue dryly.

"That's the part we're half-wrong about. It _isn't_ Magneto," said Emma sternly, "He's not the one behind this. That means Wanda was right!"

"So if Magneto ain't the one playing the global cataclysm card, then who is?" asked Gambit.

"Who else? It's the High Evolutionary!" said Emma, "Don't tell me that man didn't make your skin crawl the moment you saw him."

Wolverine, Rogue, Gambit, and Isaac tensed at the revelation even if it didn't come as much of a surprise. The High Evolutionary was the great unknown and Wanda expressed concerns about him from the beginning. He revealed through Vargas that he was the one behind MGH. His fingerprints were on so many conflicts, but this was the biggest yet.

"Um…do we need to stick around for this?" asked Mercury, who was still lingering with Senyaka.

"We can keep secrets if you need us to," said Senyaka as he put his energy whip away.

"Don't even think about running away," snarled Wolverine, drawing his claws to reinforce his point.

"Aw come on! We came here to get away from this sort of crap. Why do we have to get caught up in it now?" Mercury complained.

"Because you can't dodge shit like this! Nobody can!" said the feral mutant.

"Do you really want to close your eyes and put your fingers in your ears while someone destroys a whole freakin' planet?" asked Rogue.

"Bearing in mind that inaction will only prove your cowardice," said Isaac, "Do you really think your souls could bear such a burden?"

Mercury and Senyaka shifted uncomfortably. The temptation to run away was great. But they were former acolytes of Magneto. They didn't get that title by being cowards. Without stating their decision overtly, the two mutants lingered. Emma, who was still processing the information from Vargas's mind, opened up new psychic links. They had found the truth. Now it was time to share it.

"We need to get back to the Citadel. Chuck, Jeannie, and the others are still hanging around that purple-headed dirt bag!" said Wolverine strongly.

"I'm already in touch with Psylocke. I'm about to link up with Charles," said Emma, "I hope he had a light lunch. He's going to be sick to his stomach when he hears this."

* * *

 **Asteroid M – Citadel**

The High Evolutionary arrived at the middle levels of the citadel with Magneto and the X-men. It was where his secondary labs were set up. They were nowhere near as big as the labs in the lower levels. It was arranged more like Beast's lab back at the Xavier Institute, containing tables of equipment and various machines.

As he led them through the lab the High Evolutionary showed little urgency while still taking this situation seriously. One rebellious human wasn't enough to bring down this world. However, it still undermined his evolutionary plan and he could not have that.

"I appreciate your patience, X-men. I assure you this won't take long," said the High Evolutionary as he entered a secondary lab.

"If you don't mind me asking, what do you intend to do with this human?" asked Professor Xavier.

"Surely, one unruly individual won't cause too great a stir in a place like Asteroid M," said Beast.

"It's not about causing a stir. It's about leaving nothing to chance," said the High Evolutionary, "This world wasn't built to accommodate humans. Humans are a vestigial organ that's doomed to whither under the pressures of evolution."

"Now _there's_ a philosophy that won't win you many friends," commented Captain Freeman, "You almost sound threatened by them."

"Hardly," scoffed the High Evolutionary, "My cosmic awareness places me above any threat humanity may pose. My only concern is ensuring that Asteroid M is free from such imperfections."

"And I zhought you vere a control freak, Scott," said Nightcrawler.

"I have my limits," said Cyclops, "Controlling an entire world is a pretty tall order. It usually involves crossing too many lines."

The High Evolutionary rolled his eyes. He could see with his cosmic awareness that they were scrutinizing his every move. It wasn't like he didn't give them reasons to be concerned. As he led the X-men to the area that dealt with his mutant biology, they came across some familiar equipment.

It resembled what they White Cell and Sebastian Shaw utilized for their MGH research. It essentially reaffirmed that he had been the visionary behind MGH. He was indirectly responsible for what happened with Sebastian Shaw and White Cell. To the X-men's credit, they didn't make a big a deal about it. That didn't mean it wasn't on their minds.

He brushed off such scrutiny and went to work. With a few simple hand gestures, he activated a series of bio-synthesis machines. That began an elaborate process that would synthesis another dose of evolution for the unruly individual. He also activated a monitor so that he could monitor this process. It was a process in which Professor Xavier, Beast, Cyclops, Phoenix, Wanda, and Captain Freeman were keenly interested.

"I've heard that criticism before. I find it as insipid as it is annoying," sighed the High Evolutionary, "I would repeat some of the remarks the Brotherhood has made behind my back, but that would be impolite to my honored guests."

"It would be even more impolite if we ended up agreeing with them," said Phoenix.

"I still hope that you of all people can understand why I insist on such control," the High Evolutionary went on, "I'm aware of many of the conflicts you've faced. More often than not, they stem from a breakdown in natural order."

"It's not the only cause. Not by a long shot," said Wanda, "And believe me, I know all about random chaos."

"We need not be reminded about the dangers of chaos," said Professor Xavier, "In my most recent experience, trying to impose order on such chaos often has unintended consequences."

"Is that a knock on the Mutant Monitoring Initiative?" asked Captain Freeman, "Because that'll put me in a _very_ awkward position the next time I speak to the General."

"It's a fair comparison," said the High Evolutionary, "All functional worlds require a certain level of control, be it natural or artificial. Asteroid M is largely artificial, which naturally requires the tolerance for random inconsistences be very low."

"I assume that means you'll be the one maintaining that control," said Wanda dryly.

"From one control freak to another, I can tell you that's a dangerous setup," said Cyclops.

"For you, perhaps," scoffed the High Evolutionary, "But when you have cosmic awareness like mine, you're more than capable."

"And in my experience, his awareness has served this world well," said Magneto, "You've seen what we've put together here. You've shown you how well it works. What more can you ask of us?"

"We still have questions that need answering," said Professor Xavier.

"And I plan on answering what I can after I take care of this pesky human holdout," said the High Evolutionary, not taking his cosmic gaze off the monitor, "I can't promise you answers to every question, but I can promise that by the time you and your X-men leave Asteroid M, you'll be able to assure everyone on Earth that we're not a threat."

"In the end we're just inhabitants of a bold new world hoping to live in peace," added Magneto, "Is that so difficult to accept, Charles?"

They both sounded sincere. It was getting increasingly difficult to scrutinize Magneto and the High Evolutionary. They had yet to show any hostility and they went out of their way to demonstrate that Asteroid M was a viable world. Nothing they saw seemed to indicate that it was a threat to Earth.

Professor Xavier looked back towards his X-men and sensed they were growing increasingly conflicted. Cyclops, Phoenix, Beast, Nightcrawler, and Captain Freeman were running out of ways to question this endeavor. Even Wanda was starting to come around. It would be much easier if he could tell President Kelly and the leaders of the world that Asteroid M was as appealing as Magneto had claimed. Yet as he turned back towards his oldest friend, he still felt as though something was amiss.

Then he felt it. In an unexpected surge of psionic energy, his mind was bombarded by an overwhelming telepathic signal. It was so strong that Phoenix picked up on it too.

"Argh!" grunted the two psychics as they clutched their heads.

"Charles!" gasped Beast as he caught his mentor.

"Jean!" exclaimed Cyclops as he caught her as well.

"Damn. I know zhat look," dreaded Nightcrawler, "Something's wrong, isn't it?"

"Nonsense," scoffed Magneto stoically, "What could possibly be wrong on Asteroid M?"

As Professor Xavier processed this stream of telepathic thoughts, his expression changed from dread to outrage. While being supported by Beast and Cyclops, he looked up at Magneto and the High Evolutionary. Both remained completely unconcerned and for a very sick reason.

"I…I believe I can answer your question now, Erik," said Xavier angrily, "Once again, you lied!"

"Why am I not surprised?" grunted Captain Freeman.

"I think that brilliant mind of yours is overstressed, Charles. You sound like a madman," said Magneto with increasingly disturbing callousness.

"Takes one to know one," grunted Cyclops.

"I…I can sense it too," said Phoenix, who was still catching her breath, "It's from Emma! Looks like she managed to rip into someone's mind without belittling them first!"

"How bad is it, Charles? How much should we worry?" asked Beast anxiously.

"Open your minds and see for yourself," said Xavier strongly.

Cyclops, Wanda, Beast, Nightcrawler, and Captain Freeman did as he requested. Now armed with this new knowledge, Professor Xavier broadcasted a stream of images that revealed true madness of this world.

* * *

 **Asteroid M Lower Levels – Earlier**

"So you're really going to do it. You're going to destroy the whole world," said Vargas distantly.

"What's wrong, Mr. Vargas? Having second thoughts?" said Magneto as he and Dr. Wyndham configured the transverse electromagnetic modulation thrusters.

"No, I…just don't see why it's necessary," said Vargas, "If Asteroid M is going to be self-sustaining, then it doesn't make much sense to destroy Earth."

"That's only if you think simplistically," scoffed Magneto as he snapped a few large components into place, "We're not _destroying_ Earth. We're merely _sterilizing_ it."

"The planet isn't the problem. It's the life on it that is cause for concern," said the Dr. Wyndham, "Earth's ecosystem is already in decay. Human activity along with unhealthy evolution has rendered it beyond saving. It is taking up valuable resource that could be better used by a new generation. Asteroid M was never meant to be completely self-contained. It is merely the incubator that will nourish a new ecosystem."

Vargas was no evolution visionary. Destroying life on an entire planet in order to make way for a new form of life was a difficult notion to wrap his head around. He didn't voice any outrage or objections. Since becoming a mutant, he cared little for the affairs of Earth. It seemed as though it was on the brink every other day. A fresh start seemed logical even if it was overwhelming.

While Vargas tried to wrap his head around such a bold endeavor, Magneto used his powers to adjust the massive metal extensions that protruded from the bottom of Asteroid M. The extensions were pointed directly at Earth. There were a total of three and they each fed into a larger metallic array around the base.

The array extended up into the lower levels where Dr. Wyndham was directing a series of Warlock drones. They were assembling the outer structure of the massive machine while he conducted tests to make sure the physics were in working order.

"The destruction will be swift, but far less dramatic than an asteroid impact," said Magneto, "The transverse electromagnetic modulation thrusters are capable of _much_ more than producing a defensive shield. In order to sufficiently protect Asteroid M, it must draw from a source of great magnetic power. And what is greater than Earth's own magnetic field?"

"Once the thrusters are fully functional, it will siphon off the magnetic field in the span of a day," added Dr. Wyndham, "Earth will be rendered completely defenseless against the sun's deadly solar winds. They'll literally cook the whole planet, destroying all life and cleansing the planet."

"I dropped out of school after I left Spain as a teenager so I'll take your word for it," said Vargas, "Does that mean Earth will just be a dead hunk of rock from here on out?"

"Hardly," scoffed Magneto, "This cleansing effect will be temporary. Once we're assured that all life on Earth has been destroyed, we'll reverse the thrusters and reinstate the magnetic field."

"Then the true transformation can begin!" said the Dr. Wyndham, his voice brimming with excitement, "Using the life we've nurtured here on Asteroid M, we'll repopulate the Earth. Between a clean planet and Asteroid M, this new genesis will thrive for generations to come. I look forward to sharing it with a new ecosystem."

"And I look forward to sharing it with my children," said Magneto.

"You think they'll approve of this?" asked Vargas.

"They don't have to know," said the master of magnetism, "No one has to know."

"And how do you plan on concealing that?" asked Vargas.

"The destruction of Earth's magnetic field will be disguised as the aftermath of a gamma ray burst," Dr. Wyndham explained, "It'll come from the depth of space, untraceable and unverifiable. Everyone will believe it to be a cosmic accident. In the long run it'll ensure the preservation of our future."

It was as ambitious as it was deadly. All life on Earth would be wiped out and no one on Asteroid M would know. Vargas could only imagine the sorrows and horrors that would result. He didn't allow himself to contemplate it. It was what Magneto and the Dr. Wyndham deemed necessary. They made him a mutant. They proved to him that they knew what was best so who was he to argue?

"Can I ask one more question?" said Vargas anxiously.

"Of course, Vargas. You are after all my first new mutant," said Dr. Wyndham.

"Why are you telling me this?" he asked, "Why give me a secret like this to keep?"

"Because you have the trust of the Brotherhood you'll have the trust of many new mutants once they arrive," Magneto explained, "Once Charles Xavier shows up, we'll need to keep a close eye on him. That's why the Brotherhood will be tasked with completing this machine. I imagine they won't approve of its function, which is why you'll need to assure them it's a shield generator."

"Not to sound critical, but wouldn't it be easier if we left Charles Xavier out of the picture?" asked Vargas.

"If only it were that simple," sighed Magneto, "Unfortunately, Charles has access to my daughter and I refuse to usher in this new world without her."

"He also has access to the governments of the world," said Dr. Wyndham, "No doubt, they'll be in an uproar after we open our doors to a million new residents. We need to put on an elaborate show and make him believe that Asteroid M isn't a danger to anyone. That everyone on Earth will let their guard down just long enough for the transverse electromagnetic modulation thrusters to do their job."

Vargas did his best not to look timid under such heavy demands. These two were placing a lot of trust in him. This secret could potentially undermine the whole operation. He had to not only keep it a secret, but have others contribute without knowing. Magneto and Dr. Wyndham had covered every detail. Now he shared in the responsibility of seeing this vision through.

"While I still don't understand the physics, I understand the implications," said Vargas.

"Does this mean you have no further questions?" asked Magneto.

"Unless you think there's anything else I need to know, I'm ready to play my part in this new world," said Vargas.

"Good," said Dr. Wyndham as he finally stepped back from his machine, "Now come with me. I believe you have a church sermon to attend."

* * *

 **Citadel – Present Time**

"You crazy son-of-a-bitch!" seethed Cyclops.

" _That's_ being generous!" yelled Captain Freeman, "Crazy doesn't even _begin_ to cover it!"

"I thought you had moved beyond this, Erik. It pains me to find out how wrong I was," said Professor Xavier solemnly.

As the truth sank in, unparalleled outrage quickly followed. Magneto's façade had been exposed and he didn't look the least bit upset. If anything, he looked mildly annoyed. While the Professor regained his composure, the X-men prepared to attack. Cyclops, Phoenix, Beast, Nightcrawler, and Captain Freeman had seen enough of Asteroid M. They had more than enough reason to take Magneto and the High Evolutionary down.

However, the attack was delayed by one minor obstacle. Despite having seen the psychic images as clearly as everyone else, Wanda Maximoff wouldn't allow the X-men to attack her father just yet. Not at least until she voiced her own special outrage.

"Seriously, Father? Again, you walk this path?" exclaimed Wanda.

"If you're that pissed, then step aside, Wanda!" urged Phoenix.

"Don't be a daddy's girl. Is blood suddenly thicker than mass extinction?" questioned Captain Freeman.

The angry Green Beret tried to lunge for Magneto, but Nightcrawler teleported in front of him and stopped him mid-way.

"Slow down, mein friend! Give her a chance!" urged the German mutant.

"You don't give chances to mass murderers! Especially if this isn't their first attempt!" yelled Captain Freeman as he tried to shove Nightcrawler aside.

"That's assuming the alternative is more effective," said Beast as he came in to hold him back as well, "Let her speak. Maybe she'll have even more reason to help us."

Captain Freeman kept trying to get through the two X-men. Professor Xavier lingered back with Cyclops and Phoenix. They all watched as Wanda confronted her father, her eyes glowing with hex energy.

"Please spare me that look, Wanda. It's beneath you," said Magneto in a flat tone.

"Destroying entire worlds is beneath you too. Or did you not learn that the first time?" she retorted.

"The circumstances have changed, as have I," he told her.

"Bullshit! I know my father. He's the one who taught me that people _don't_ change. Only their influences change. I don't know what's influencing you now, but the father I know is strong enough to overcome it!"

"Is that what you think is happening here?" scoffed the master of magnetism, "Oh Wanda. This is exactly why I concealed the truth from you and your brother. When you've lived as long as I've lived and seen the things I've seen, you understand why certain sacrifices must be made."

Before Wanda could scold him any further, Magneto summoned his powers. With a simple hand gesture, the metal structure of the citadel then sprang to life and becoming viscous. Like a slithering liquid with a life of its own, the metal from the floor and ceiling shot out like tentacles. The metal tentacles wrapped themselves around Wanda and restrained in a grip so hard that it was difficult to focus her hexing powers.

"Errrrrrr! No father!" Wanda cried out.

"Vanda!" Nightcrawler exclaimed.

"Now are you ready to let me through?" grunted Captain Freeman.

"By all means," said Magneto callously, "Join my daughter in her discomfort."

More metal tentacles sprang out from the ceiling and floor. They quickly engulfed Nightcrawler, Beast, and Captain Freeman. Nightcrawler and Beast tried to use their agility to avoid it while the Green Beret attempted to fight through it. They were each successful. They quickly found themselves wrapped up in a liquid metal vice and suspended several feet off the floor.

Cyclops and Phoenix instinctively rushed to their aid. Cyclops reached for his visor, but a metal tentacle stopped him before he could reach it. He soon found himself surrounded and suspended a few feet off the floor along with Phoenix. She tried protecting herself and the Professor with her telekinesis, but once again her psychic strength was limited without the Phoenix Force.

"Ungh! Phoenix, use your telekinesis! Get us out of this!" the X-leader commanded.

"Hnn…trying," she grunted, "Not strong enough! Need Phoenix Force!"

"Erik, stop this madness! Don't make me stop it for you!" yelled Professor Xavier.

"You can't, Charles. And you won't," said Magneto coldly, "Even without my helmet, you can't break my mental shields. Not while you're unable to focus, that is."

Magneto clenched his fist, which tightened the metal grip on the Professor. It was so tight it was suffocating, putting him in too much discomfort to manage any psychic attack. It rendered him unable to reach his old friend or aid his ailing X-men.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" the Professor yelled out.

"That's enough, Magneto!" yelled Beast, "Even you wouldn't-AHHHHHH!"

Magneto silenced Beast by tightening the grip on his metal restraints as well. That further dissuaded anyone else from lashing out. Magneto made it clear that he had no tolerance for obstructions. He had been ruthless before, but he always held back when dealing with his daughter or Charles. This time he made it clear that he was willing to put them in a world of pain in order to see his vision through.

While Magneto's methods surprised and paralyzed the X-men, the High Evolutionary remained stoic. He didn't even turn away from his monitor while they expressed their outrage. When he finally addressed the bound X-men, he shook his head in disappointment.

"I was hoping to avoid this. Unfortunately, having cosmic awareness means I'm rarely surprised," sighed the High Evolutionary.

"I suppose it is my fault. I didn't think they would be lucky enough to stumble upon the truth," said Magneto as he ignored the pained cries of his daughter and his friend.

"Don't blame yourself, old friend. If it makes you feel better, blame Vargas when this is over. For now, just keep them restrained. We'll have to step up our time tables with the transverse electromagnetic modulation thrusters. I'll tell Frenzy to push the Brotherhood a bit harder to finish the assembly."

"Ve von't let you succeed! Zhe rest of zhe X-men are still out zhere and zhy know your secret as vell!" grunted Nightcrawler as he struggled with his metal restraints.

"In a few short seconds they'll wish they hadn't," said the High Evolutionary with an ominous grin, "You see, while you were yelling at Magneto I sent out a special signal to every one of my creations including the 999,999 newly minted mutants."

"I take it that means you lied to them too!" grunted Cyclops.

"Only as much as is necessary," he said smugly, "If you'll recall, I'm a bit of a control freak. That means everything in my world is connected. Your friends are about to find out the hard way just how deep those connections are…if they survive long enough."

* * *

 **Asteroid M – Sirius Lake**

"TRAITORS! THERE ARE TRAITORS IN OUR MIDST!"

"WE MUST PURGE THEM FROM OUR WORLD!"

The area around Sirius Lake had quickly turned from a scenic paradise to a living nightmare. It changed very quickly for Storm, Warpath, Psylocke, Colossus, and Domino. Within moments of receiving a telepathic message from Emma Frost that exposed Magneto's true plans, the once friendly former humans turned on them as if a switch had been flipped.

Now they were in a very difficult position. Every man, woman, and child that showed so much enthusiasm for becoming a mutant surrounded them around the shore of the lake. Their eyes had all turned purple, radiating with a similar glow to that of the High Evolutionary. It indicated clearly who was in charge. It also indicated that these people weren't in control of themselves. That made fighting them problematic.

"Well, I guess this explains those _peculiarities_ I was sensing," groaned Psylocke as she watched every mutant around the lake surround them.

"Did you suspect it would cause these people to turn against us?" questioned Colossus.

"No, but in the future I'll assume that any such anomalies mean some bloke has mind-controlled civilians in his back pocket!" grunted the psychic.

Pyslocke drew a pair of psionic blades while Domino drew her guns. There were hundreds of mutants at this lake, each with newly imbued powers. Fighting through them in a world already filled with a million new mutants wasn't going to be easy.

"So much for those connections you mentioned, Colossus," said Domino as she pointed her guns at the approaching mutants.

"Wait! Don't shoot, Domino!" urged Storm as she forced her to lower her arms.

"And what? Wait for them to shoot first?" said Domino.

"They're still civilians! They're not in control!" she reminded them.

"She's right!" said Psylocke, who was still doing telepathic scans, "They're getting some remote psychic signal that's controlling them."

"Guess they didn't read the fine print on their new powers," muttered Domino, "So what do we do? Try to hide in a world that now has a million hostile mutants?"

"It might be even worse than that, Dom. Look!" said Warpath grimly as he pointed to the woods in the distance.

Storm, Psylocke, Domino, and Colossus quickly saw what he was referring to. From the trees, hoards of the alien animals that populated Asteroid M were emerging as well. They all bore the same ominous purple eyes as the mutants. It meant they would have to fight through more than just mutants to escape the danger.

"Ooh boy, I should have packed more bullets," groaned Domino.

"So we have a world of mind-controlled mutants _and_ animals ready to attack us," Colossus summarized, "I don't think there would be anything wrong with running in this instance."

"Where do you propose we run?" questioned Warpath as everyone and everything closed in on them, "This isn't our domain. This isn't even our _world_. Even if we met up with the others, I'm pretty sure we'd be just as screwed!"

* * *

 **City X**

"What the fuck is wrong with this place? Did something short-circuit?" exclaimed a former resident of Genosha.

"Why the hell are they turning on us?" exclaimed a former resident of District X as he tried to escape from a group of suddenly hostile former human.

"It's not just them! Even the animals hate us now!" said another older mutant as he took cover inside a residence building.

"Ahhhh! Get 'em away! Get 'em away!" yelled a mutant woman as bird-like creatures with purple eyes relentlessly pecked at her head.

The city that held so much promise had turned into a war zone. It happened without warning. Every former human erupted in a homicidal rage, their eyes turning purple in the process. All the animals within the city from birds to bugs turned on them as well. Only the mutants who hadn't been turned were unaffected. However, they were still vastly outnumbered and under siege in a city where they hoped to escape such conflict.

Only Isaac and the X-men understood the source of the conflict. Rogue, Gambit, Emma, and Wolverine ran for cover along with Isaac, Senyaka, and Mercury. They ended up behind one of the residence buildings near what looked like a trash collector. From there, they saw dozens of former humans randomly attack other mutants. They also saw large hoards of bird-like animals flying overhead and swooping through the city to attack anything that didn't have glowing purples eyes.

"It's official! I want off this rock. I was better off in school," groaned Mercury.

"Now is a bad time to realize the value of a good education," said Emma dryly.

"Whatever you X-men did, undo it right now!" ordered Senyaka.

"We ain't doing shit!" barked Wolverine, "Someone else is pulling the strings here and those glowing purple eyes give a damn good clue as to who it is."

"I knew that High Evolutionary fella was a total creep!" groaned Rogue.

"And looks like he be raising his bets. He's throwing a whole dang world at us!" said Gambit as he saw more animals flying in.

This dire scene continued to unfold. Discovering the truth about Asteroid M had incurred the wrath of an entire world. The X-men were preparing to attack while Senyaka and Mercury were regretting having ever been caught up with this mess. It left Isaac the most vulnerable in many ways. He was the only normal human left on Asteroid M. He stood little chance of confronting this danger directly.

"Looks like we'll have to claw our way back to Magneto and that purple-loving buddy of his!" snarled Wolverine, "I doubt Chuck and the others will be able to handle him on their own!"

"Us against the world was never supposed to be _this_ literal, Wolverine," said Emma dryly.

"Even Gambit ain't big on stakes this high," said Gambit.

"If you guys got a better idea, I'd _love_ to hear it," snarled the former living weapon.

"Actually, we're already in the middle of one," said Isaac, remaining calm despite the unfolding chaos.

Wolverine, Rogue, Gambit, Emma, Senyaka, and Mercury all turned towards the charismatic holy man. He looked dead serious for a man in such a hostile domain and it wasn't just because of his faith.

"I knew you had to have more of a plan than this, sugah," said Rogue.

"Are you sure this human isn't delusional?" grumbled Senyaka.

"No more than any holy man," shrugged Emma.

"Delusion is the devil's domain. I deal with much better company," said Isaac, "I didn't come here without support back on Earth. If you're willing to listen, I can tell you what that support entails."

"You don't need to preach to convince us, bub. Whatever you've got, tell us now! We're neck deep in Magneto's shit and it's only gonna stink more," said Wolverine as he saw more angry purple-eyed creatures descending from the sky.

The X-men held off attacking, slipping further behind the residence building while the attacks outside intensified. Senyaka and Mercury stuck around, having few alternatives and no where else to hide. It was a dangerous situation and they would need more than God's grace to get through it.

* * *

 **Asteroid M – Citadel**

The High Evolutionary grinned as video images from all over his world streamed through his observation monitor. The wildlife outside the city was zeroing in on Storm's team near Lake Sirius. Thousands of former humans were turning on Wolverine's team within City X.

They were all overwhelmed and trapped, ensuring they wouldn't interfere even if they managed to survive. Magneto remained indifferent while he kept the X-men and Wanda restrained within their metal confines. He made sure they also saw what was happening on the monitor so they understood just how unlikely a rescue would be.

"It appears your friends will be preoccupied for a good while," said the High Evolutionary, "Certainly long enough for the transverse electromagnetic modulation thrusters to activate."

"I wouldn't assume that," said Magneto sternly, "I've made the mistake of underestimating the X-men before. I'm not about to make it again."

"Father, are you even listening to yourself? This is _way_ beyond your usual arrogance!" yelled Wanda.

"Listen…to your daughter, Erik!" urged Xavier, who could barely breathe in his metal confines, "You need…to stop this…now! Don't risk…losing your-UMF!"

Xavier was cut off as Magneto covered his mouth with metal. That dissuaded Wanda, Cyclops, Phoenix, Beast, Nightcrawler, and Captain Freeman from voicing any further dissent. Magneto made it clear that he was not going to listen. He was going through with this plan no matter what they thought.

"Thank you, Erik. My cosmic awareness doesn't make me any less prone to annoying sounds," said the High Evolutionary.

"We need to deal with this quickly," said Magneto, "You know our deal. I'm not prepared to kill my friend and my daughter."

"Nor would I ask you to," assured the High Evolutionary, "But you are correct. We must deal with this. We're forging a new world here and in order for it to prosper, we must maintain a proper level of control."

"Does this mean you'll do what I think?" asked Magneto.

"I'm usually a patient man. When a half-century of hard work is about to culminate, I'm compelled to make an exception."

The High Evolutionary activated the computer on his wrist once more. This triggered a new round of activity from the machines next to the monitor. The commands he gave them earlier were overridden by more pressing orders. Within seconds, a metal panel on the side opened to reveal several vials of familiar-looking red liquid. It didn't take long for Wanda, Cyclops, Phoenix, Beast, Nightcrawler, Captain Freeman, and Professor Xavier to figure out what he had in mind.

"I didn't expect you to go along with my plan for the old world, but seeing as how you're here you might as well contribute to this new world," said the High Evolutionary, "And before you curse me, let me point out that you don't have a choice in the matter."

The X-men had to hold back their revulsions. There was nothing they could say. He and Magneto made it painfully clear. They were not taking any chances when they were on the brink of making a new world.

"Asteroid M is a monument to evolution," the High Evolutionary went on, "That means the roles we play are simple. Either we adapt to the system or we perish. Since I'm in such a merciful mood, I'll do the _adapting_ for you."

* * *

 **Up next: High Evolution Part 4**


	24. Issue 172: High Evolution Part 4

**Issue #172  
High Evolution Part 4**

* * *

 _Professor Charles Xavier taught his X-men to fight for peace and understanding in a world that hates and fears them. Time and again, that world has been brought to brink. After teaming up with the mysterious High Evolutionary, Magneto created Asteroid M. Officially, this new world is meant to provide an entirely new ecosystem for mutants. Unofficially, it is destined to doom all life on Earth._

 _In light of this threat, the X-men have united with X-Force. With help from Wanda Maximoff, they arrived on Asteroid M along with most of Earth's mutant population and one million humans eager to leave their decaying world behind. Using technology developed from MGH, the High Evolutionary turned all but one of them into mutants. At first everyone seemed happy. Then the one human who resisted, Isaac, exposed the truth._

 _Having been thwarted by Xavier before, Magneto is not taking any chances. From a reconstructed citadel, the High Evolutionary exerts control over all his creations and turns them on the X-men. He also traps Professor Xavier and Wanda Maximoff before they can stop the plan to wipe out all life on Earth. In order to ensure the success of Asteroid M, the High Evolutionary has prepared a grim fate for the X-men._

* * *

 **Asteroid M – Citadel**

The X-men had been at the mercy of their enemies before, but never like this. Magneto and the High Evolutionary proved that the world they created was every bit as majestic as they boasted, but they also proved that they could control it as well. That control was a vital part of their plan to purge all life from.

Magneto's expression hadn't changed since the truth came out. He showed little reservation when he used his powers to contain Cyclops, Phoenix, Beast, Nightcrawler, and Captain Freeman in metal tendrils he made from the very structure of the citadel. He showed even less reservation as he did the same to Wanda and Professor Xavier. He had since silenced Professor Xavier by covering his mouth with metal. While the X-men struggled, he stared down his angry daughter.

"I'm sorry it has to be this way, Wanda," said Magneto flatly, "I'd hoped to spare you the burden of the truth."

"Did you really think lying to me would work in the long run?" she retorted, "What about Pietro, Lorna, and the rest of the Brotherhood?"

"It will be better for everyone if they do not know the truth. The destruction of Earth need not be an act of war. An unavoidable tragedy is easier to process. There will be sorrow at first, but in the long run there will be prosperity for all."

"And all those innocent people back on Earth are acceptable losses?" she retorted.

"I'm surprised you're this outraged," quipped Magneto, "You stood by my side for years as we opposed humanity. You never had a problem attacking a world that you admit is woefully corrupt."

"Attacking corruption and global genocide are two _very_ different things, father. I used to believe in what we were fighting for. On some levels I still do. But recently I've learned a few lessons about endless fighting."

Magneto noticed Wanda's gaze drift towards Nightcrawler, who was suspended next to him. His vision narrowed on his daughter. He could see more than just an unsavory influence on her.

"I hope those _lessons_ didn't make you soft," said Magneto, "I understand you've been living under the protection of X-Force. I expect you to resist their corruptive influence."

"They didn't influence me as much as you think. Just being away from all the conflict gave me time to reflect on what we're doing for our kind. And you know what I've learned?"

"You mean aside from how there can be no peace?"

"We're _all_ part of the problem. You, the humans, and the X-men!" said Wanda sternly, "We're _all_ fueling this carnage. It's never going to stop until one of us stops the cycle. After what happened with Lorna, I thought you could be the one, father!"

"You thought wrong," said the master of magnetism coldly, "This is the only way to preserve the future of our kind. If lies are necessary to make it work, so be it."

"I hear you say that, but I don't believe it's you that's thinking it," said Wanda, "Even if the father I know is willing to destroy the world, there's no way he would be okay with lying about it."

Her scold deepened as she attacked Magneto in a way only a daughter could manage. Despite her harsh words, his expression remained unchanged. The more she looked into his stoic gaze, the more convinced she was that something was very wrong.

Before Wanda could scold her father any further, the High Evolutionary stepped in. Such family affairs were a nuisance. That was about to change. After synthesizing a new batch of MGH variants, he prepared a number of vials with a carefully measured dose. He couldn't convince the X-men to go along with Asteroid M so he would settle for the next best thing.

"Far be it from me to intrude upon family squabbles, but I've little tolerance for conflict on Asteroid M," said the High Evolutionary as he held up one of the vials.

"So your solution is to use drugs to escape zhe conflicts?" scoffed Nightcrawler.

"Sounds like something my mom would do," muttered Captain Freeman.

"It's also something Romulus already tried," Cyclops pointed out, "It didn't work out for him. What makes you think it'll work out for you?"

"I'm aware of how Romulus and Sebastian Shaw have utilized my work," said the High Evolutionary, "They were but amateurs who dared only go so far."

"And you're willing to go further?" said Phoenix.

"That's not something to be proud of," scolded Beast, "You claim to be a visionary. But if you're that insecure that you must control an entire world, then you're not mad. You're _pathetic_ on a level that Carl Sagan himself couldn't quantify."

"And compensating in a way that leaves _way_ too much to the imagination," added Phoenix.

The High Evolutionary shot Beast and Phoenix a bemused smirk. They seemed to forget that they were the ones encased in metal. They also seemed to forget that this was not their world. They needed to be reminded that nature on Asteroid M were different.

"Rather than respond to such infantile insults, I'll thank you instead," said the High Evolutionary as he approached Beast, "You just decided for me who will be the first recipient of this freshly modified MGH. Since Wanda is so precious to my old friend here, I prefer we do a quick test to ensure it has the proper effect."

"And if it doesn't?" questioned Magneto.

"We still have several other test subjects. Think of it as an impromptu science experiment…one that demonstrates the level of control I exert on this world."

The X-men watched as the High Evolutionary stood before Beast and prepared a syringe. Cyclops, Phoenix, Nightcrawler, Captain Freeman, Wanda, and Professor Xavier struggled with their metal restraints. Magneto tightened them to make sure they saw what was about to happen. A wry smirk never left the High Evolutionary's face as he jammed the syringe right into Beast's neck and injected the reddish substance.

"Ungh!" grunted Beast.

"No! Leave him alone!" Phoenix cried out.

"To be fair, he did question my scientific competence," said the High Evolutionary.

"Whatever you just did to him, you're going to regret it!" yelled Captain Freeman.

"Not as much as your feral friend here," he said with a mischievous grin.

They watched in horror as Beast underwent a profound transformation. The veins in his neck and all along his upper body started bulging. Within minutes his whole body nearly doubled in muscle mass, growing nearly a foot taller in the process.

It happened so fast that the metal restraints Magneto used to contain him started to crack. His fur also shifted from blue to a much darker color and his teeth became more jagged. As the drug flowed through his system, his growls became more primal. Once he stopped growing, his eyes shifted into a bright purplish hue. They looked similar to the purplish gaze of the High Evolutionary, indicating that this new creature still had a leash.

"ERRRRRAAAHHHHHHHH!" the new Beast roared.

"Mein Gott," gasped Nightcrawler.

"Not God, but close enough," said the High Evolutionary.

The X-men were horrified by this sight. It wasn't enough for the High Evolutionary to just control them. He had to turn them into a monstrous reflection of their former selves.

"Is that supposed to happen? I'd rather my daughter not be covered in fur," said Magneto, his tone still flat.

"It's a minor side-effect. One that's easily corrected," said the High Evolutionary.

"For your sake that better be reversible!" yelled Cyclops, "You think you're in control now? You're just giving us more reasons to kick your ass! And that's assuming there will be anything left after I get through with you!"

"In that case, I think we just got our next volunteer," said the High Evolutionary in a humored tone.

Magneto nodded and used his powers to release the Dark Beast from his metal confines. As soon as he was free, he thrashed around wildly and let out an angry snarl. With his eyes still glowing, his whim was guided strictly by the High Evolutionary, who then directed him towards Cyclops.

"The sooner you accept the truth, the better off you'll be," said the High Evolutionary, "You and your friends are fighting a losing battle here in Asteroid M. We have a whole world with which to destroy you. And soon enough, it will be the only world."

* * *

 **Asteroid M - Sirius Lake**

"DESTROY THE SCOURGE! PURGE OUR WORLD! DESTROY THE SCOURGE! PURGE OUR WORLD!"

Those angry chants were the war cries of every creature that could utter them on Asteroid M. There was nowhere Storm, Colossus, Psylocke, Domino, and Warpath could go to escape it. Within minutes of everyone turning on them, they were cornered at the shore of the lake. They had nowhere left to go. Even the sea creatures swimming in the lake bore the same purplish eyes that symbolized this shared hostility.

Every former human and animal were closing in. They moved in perfect coordination as if they were guided by an outside force. They surrounded the X-men in preparation for a single devastating attack. The X-men tried to spread out in order to avoid being cornered. Some of the former humans along with a few bird-like animals from above launched early attacks to prevent this.

"GET OFF OUR WORLD!" yelled an old Asian man who used his mutant powers to generate concussive force waves.

"Isn't it customary to say _please_?" grunted Colossus as he used both fists to redirect the attack into a crowd of approaching former humans.

"Go easy on them, Colossus. These people are clearly not in control of themselves," said Storm as she struggled to kick up high winds.

"If you have an alternative, I am open to suggestions," said the Russian as he fought off two young teenage mutants with cat-like agility.

Colossus grunted as the two mutants clawed and slashed at his face. These former humans that had been so peaceful moments ago fought with the kind of blind rage that was difficult to go easy on.

"I am wasting way too many bullets here," said Domino as she fired carefully at a couple of former humans with durable skin, "Even my luck only goes so far."

"We need time more than luck and we're running out of both," said Warpath as he fought off some of the dog-like animals that tried to pounce.

"Is that a go-ahead to start shooting people in the leg?" asked Domino as she narrowly avoided being grabbed by an oversized mutant.

"Not yet! Hold off just a bit longer, Domino. Storm's already working on an escape plan."

"I know you seriously want to sleep with her, James. But I think we're placing too much faith in her winds. Hell, does Mother Nature even have a say in this place?"

It wasn't an unreasonable question. Storm appeared to be struggling to utilize any winds while the rest of the team did their best to buy her time. Domino continued to avoid inflicting fatal wounds. More former humans with rocky skin, durability, and healing tried to attack her. She fired carefully aimed shots at their back and chest that would stun them, but not seriously wound them.

Warpath literally threw several dog-like creatures off him into crowds of approaching former humans. One with bright yellow skin lunged in and struck him right across the face, delivering some acid-like burns in the process. It burned even Warpath's durable form while driving him back further.

Warpath, Colossus, and Domino were soon within a few feet of Psylocke and Storm. Psylocke had been aggressively using her psionic blades, driving them right into the heads of any former human that managed to get close enough to them. That delivered a rough telepathic shock that would have rendered normal humans unconscious. For those determined yet unwitting souls, it merely stunned them.

"Their minds are shrouded by some kind of psychic haze. I can't get through to them!" said Psylocke as she narrowly avoided a swipe from a mutant with claw-like fingers.

"Are they being telepathically controlled? Can you somehow block it out?" asked Storm.

"If I knew the bloody source, I might. Even if I did, I could only do it for a handful of them at once. And that's _not_ counting the animals," she grunted with growing frustration.

"So there's no chance of gaining any allies?" dreaded Storm, who stayed close to Psylocke as a mutant with six arms tried to grab her.

"I wouldn't bank on it," said the young psychic, "Whatever's controlling them must be hard wired into their brains. Which is why we need an escape!"

"I'm working on it," said Storm, "The winds here are…different. I don't feel the same connection to them."

"Then make one because we're out of time!" shouted Domino.

The pressure was on Storm. They were within inches of the shoreline where alligator-like creatures were closing in on them. Psylocke tried to protect her so that she had room to concentrate, using her psionic blades to divert a swarm of insect-like creatures that tried to overwhelm them. She ended up taking a few nasty bites. Before she could even wince, she had to fight off another older woman with a ghost-like appearance. She soon found herself disoriented, unable to use her psionic blades to disable this former human.

"YOU DO NOT BELONG HERE!" yelled the woman.

"Ack! I'm pretty sure you don't belong in my lungs either," coughed Psylocke.

Psylocke was quickly rendered immobile. Five other former humans tried to go for Storm, forcing Domino, Colossus, and Warpath to pick up the slack. Domino saved herself the bullets by jumping up and using the butt of her gun to strike two of the former humans that had a plant-like appearance. The other three included a father and his two young children, each of which had malleable ink-like skin. Warpath tried to get in their way, but he was reluctant to strike the young family.

"This ain't good parenting, pal. Leave your kids out of this!" urged Warpath.

"WE ALL STAND FOR OUR WORLD! MAN AND CHILD ALIKE!" yelled the man.

Warpath tried to shove the trio aside. That proved messy because the two children shifted their ink-like form to become more vicious, allowing them to smother the Native American mutant.

"Ugh! Tastes…like mud," choked Warpath.

"THIS WILL TASTE WORSE!" yelled the man.

Despite his children still covering Warpath, the man shifted his arm to form a club-like weapon. With it he slammed the Native American mutant across the face. It hit with such force that even his durable form couldn't withstand it. He fell back, tumbling onto his hands and knees while the two children continued slithering around him in their ink form.

"James!" Storm cried out.

"He's survived worse, Storm. Try and stay focused here!" urged Domino as she fought off an aerial attack from a few flying mutants, "It looks like they're preparing for something and we need to be out of its way."

As Storm looked out over the hordes of former humans, she saw what Domino meant. This coordinated attack didn't attempt to overrun them with sheer numbers. Whoever was guiding the people wanted to keep everything focused and organized.

By now the former humans and animals were pulling back. That allowed the hundreds of other mutants to form an inescapable semi-circle around the X-men. Around that circle every mutant with firepower of some kind stood in the front, preparing to fire a simultaneous blast. Above them any mutant with flight powers along with various animals hovered above, ensuring they had nowhere to run.

"DESTROY THE SCOURGE! PURGE OUR WORLD! DESTROY THE SCOURGE! PURGE OUR WORLD!" they all chanted in perfect unison.

"Storm, we're out of time!" yelled Colossus, who was shoved back by a couple of sisters with gravity manipulation powers.

"I know. I'm…trying," grunted Storm, her eyes flickering in a white hue, "These winds…are too…stubborn!"

The air around her grew hot and stale. With every ounce of strength, she tried to connect with these artificial forces of nature. They resisted her as if someone was actively pushing her back.

"Hnn…I know you'll do it, Storm," said Warpath, still choking on the ink-like mud that had covered his upper body, "If you can reach someone…as stubborn as me…you can make these winds your own."

Storm's gaze drifted towards Warpath. As she watched him fight off the inky sludge that consumed him, a new rush of determination surged through her. Asteroid M was so artificial and controlled. Trying to control it herself was a losing battle. Her only hope was to try a different approach.

' _Nature can never be controlled. It can only be harnessed. I may not be able to wrestle control away from you, Magneto. But I can still introduce a little chaos to the winds. Let's see how your world handles true nature!'_

No longer attempting to control the winds, Storm redirected her efforts. In an ominous display, her eyes erupted in a burst of white light. That did not dissuade the army of former humans unleashed their blast.

In an effort to thwart her response before it began, they unleashed their powerful attack. It included forces such as energy blasts, laser blasts, electrical shocks, fireballs, ice shards, telekinesis, and sonic waves. Psylocke, Warpath, Colossus, and Domino braced themselves for the impact. But it never came.

Before the blast struck, a powerful gust of wind swirled around Storm. From that gust, a dark cloud formed that overtook the X-men. In the process, it blew off the ghost-like woman from Psylocke and the ink-like sludge on Warpath. Once inside this cloud, the X-men were literally throw up into the wind just in time to avoid the onslaught.

"WHOA!" they all yelled out.

"It's happening!" proclaimed Storm, her eyes still glowing.

As the X-men went flying across the lake, the winds continued to swirl. As the energy from so many different blasts converged on the cloud, it triggered a white-hot burst and unleashed an air blast that momentarily engulfed the whole lake in a blinding light.

It was quickly accompanied by a blast so powerful that it kicked up water from the lake and cause any winged being within a half-mile radius to falter. The force on the ground was even more intense, knocking waves of former mutants back and disrupting their once perfectly coordinated attack.

"DESTROY…SCOURGE…PURGE OUR…WORLD!" they all stammered as they tried to reorganize.

The cloud continued to grow, following completely random patterns that further disrupted the once peaceful lake. The swirling clouds continued to carry Storm, Colossus, Warpath, Psylocke, and Domino. It was not the smooth ride they were used to with Storm's powers. Within moments they found themselves falling towards the lake where a group of hungry alligator-like creatures was waiting for them.

"Bloody hell…those things look hungry," said Psylocke as she saw the creatures.

"Pull us up already, Storm! Some of us didn't pack our swim suits!" yelled Domino.

"It's not entirely up to me this time," she replied.

The alligator creatures were already on the surface preparing to take a bite out of them. Then another sharp gust of wind blew in and pushed them further up into the sky. It was another disorienting blow to their senses, but it took them out of the line of fire. Some mutants from below still tried firing at them, but due to their lack of coordination they missed. They did not handle the chaos well. It was as if chaos itself was the X-men's best weapon.

As Storm ascended with Psylocke, Domino, Colossus, and Warpath their path stabilized. They noticed the starry mosaic that made up the sky became wavy and disoriented. The once awe-inspiring sight was exposed as a façade. As it faltered, Storm gained greater control of the winds.

"Ugh! Now I know how a bug in a washing machine feels," groaned Psylocke.

"You did it, Storm!" exclaimed Warpath, "You got control of the-whoa shit!"

The X-men felt more gusts blow around them. While they were moving forward, it was by no means a smooth ride. They were not the same winds they were used to on Earth.

"It would seem that control is a work-in-progress," said Colossus, fighting off dizziness and nausea.

"I can only manage _partial_ control," said Storm as her eyes kept flashing, "I'm not actually guiding these winds. It's only when the winds are guided by chaos that I can exert power over them."

"So you basically have to screw it up and then put it back together?" said Domino, "Sounds tricky."

"You have no idea," groaned Storm.

"But it's working," said Warpath as he shook off his daze, "I think we're onto something here. Throw a little dirt onto this bullshit paradise and we have the advantage."

"You think the others know that?" asked Colossus.

"We'll share it with them when we meet up," said Storm as she focused harder, "Get ready for a bumpy ride because I'm taking us to City X. We need to pull the plug on Magneto's new world. We need to show him he's vulnerable."

"In more ways than you think," said Domino with a smirk.

The X-men entrusted themselves to Storm's chaotic winds. Below them, they could still see a world that had turned on them. They stood little chance of fighting every last being. They had to go after the source and wherever it was, Magneto was probably close to it.

* * *

 **City X – West Plaza**

"IS THIS WHAT YOU BEEN REDUCED TO, MAGNETO? THROWING YOUR OWN MEAT PUPPETS AT US?" roared a defiant Wolverine as he stood panting with predatory intent.

Wolverine had been bludgeoned and battered in ways that even a strong healing factor couldn't hide. Standing in the middle of a crowded square, it was a miracle that he could even stand. He drew the wrath of dozens of former humans, each driven by an unseen hand to attack anyone that didn't bear the distinct purple glow in their eyes.

He endured energy blasts, fireballs, toxic globs, ice shards, and psychic attacks. Those with enhanced physical agility tested their prowess against him, often getting wounded in the process while still inflicting their share of blows. Having just taken a series of body shots from a mutant whose fists resembled bricks, he was enduring a world of pain.

"Keep ripping the flesh from his bones. He can't oppose us all!" exclaimed a young woman with yellow skin and tentacle-like arms.

"KEEP IT COMING!" snarled Wolverine, "I'LL TAKE ON THIS WHOLE FUCKED UP WORLD!"

More former humans poured into the plaza, surrounding Wolverine and throwing everything they had at him. The former living weapon continued fighting back and absorbing various blows along the way. It took a toll, but this beating wasn't completely without purpose.

In one of the residential buildings overlooking the plaza, the rest of the X-men helped assemble a make-shift shelter. They quickly discovered that the only ones following the warpath besides the animals were the 999,999 former humans that the High Evolutionary turned into mutants. Within moments of uncovering the plan to destroy Earth, they all turned on them. That forced Rogue, Gambit, and Emma Frost to take cover with Isaac while Wolverine drew all the attention.

"You think Wolvie be overdoing the whole diversion bit?" wondered Gambit as he watched Wolverine take on more challengers, "He starts hurtin' people and we gonna have problems."

"He'll be fine. We've got enough problems on our end," scoffed Emma.

Their attention was abruptly diverted from Wolverine as two imposing mutants with red skin were thrown through a nearby wall. One was a woman with fire powers. The other appeared to be her father. Each looked like they had gone one too many rounds with Rogue, who walked in through the hole behind them rubbing her knuckles.

"Ah warned you," she told them, "You burn of mah hair and I break your jaw."

"I believe I've made my point," said Emma wryly.

"Much as Remy enjoys seeing Rogue play rough, this be gettin' too close for comfort," said the Cajun as he took out a fresh deck of cards.

"It's closer than ya think, sugah. We got more on their way!" said Rogue, "There's almost a million of them and only a few of us. The odds _ain't_ in our favor."

That harsh reality became more apparent by the second. Gambit and Emma had to duck away from the window as a couple of flying former humans passed over the roof. They attacked with exotic pulse blasts, which caused the upper levels of the building to shake violently.

That sent a fresh wave of fear through the mutants that had taken shelter within this building. Some were former residents of District X and various mutant communities. Some were former citizens of Genosha who were not inclined to fight. They all huddled together in the center of a large unfurnished room near the top floor of a residential building, listening to the commotion escalate outside.

Among the beleaguered mutants trying to shut out this conflict was Isaac, who showed little fear despite being the only human on Asteroid M. He walked up and down the rows of mutants, offering to console them with his prayers.

"Oh Heavenly Father, protect us as we traverse the valley of death," he said to them, "Your blessed ones are under siege. Guide them with your love as you have guided me with your mercy."

"You sound _way_ too bold for a human," said a mutant man who was looking after his little mutant brother, "You sure God can hear in a place like this?"

"God hears the cries of all his children," said Isaac, "He protects the blessed and punished the accursed."

"I feel pretty _accursed_ right now," groaned a young woman with orange skin, hugging her knees, "Magneto said this place wouldn't have shit like this."

"That's the problem with deceivers. They often sound most sincere," said Isaac, "They are always exposed by the light of truth. Eventually, they burn by it."

"With or without God, do you really think you stand a chance against a million crazed mutants?" asked a former resident of Genosha.

"The odds are more in our favor than you think," said Isaac cryptically.

The faith of the mutants remained fragile as they huddled together. The building shook more violently as it was struck by more concussive blasts waves outside. Gambit kept trying to throw charged cards at them, but they proved elusive. Emma joined Rogue near the fresh hole in the wall she made. They were in turn joined by more former humans that braved the shaking and tried to corner them.

"THERE THEY ARE! PURGE THEM FROM OUR WORLD!" yelled a bald man with dark skin and fists the size of boxing gloves.

"PURGE THEM AND THE HUMAN! OUR WORLD MUST BE PURE!" yelled an Asian woman that radiated with purplish sparks.

"Dang, Ah thought Ah disabled the elevator," groaned Rogue.

"They're smart enough to understand stairs, Rogue," said Emma dryly.

"Wish they were smart enough to shake off Magneto's control," she groaned.

Rogue braced herself again and attacked the Asian woman with purplish sparks. The woman demonstrated significant firepower, shooting off purplish sparks that singed the walls. Rogue's durable form allowed her to brave these sparks. Her uniform got a little singed, but she was still able to fly in and level the woman with an uppercut. She had to make sure she tapered her strength enough to knock her out and not inflict serious injury.

Emma Frost was slightly less merciful. The bald man with oversized fists went right in for the knock-out blow. He swung at her with a punishing right cross. Emma quickly shifted into her diamond form, which spared her the impact and any unpleasant wounds that would have crippled a weaker being. As the man prepared to strike with another punch, she lunged in and kneed him right in the groin.

"Ack!" the man choked.

"Guess that's one feature that evolution can't fix," grinned Emma.

"Ah thought we agreed that we needed to go easy on these people," said Rogue as she made sure the woman before her remained on the floor, "You're the one that said they ain't in control of themselves."

"I also said they're all sharing a collective psyche," said Emma, "This irrational rage is not directed towards any of the other mutants that the High Evolutionary didn't get his slimy hands on. It's focused solely on the X-men."

"That mean we be putting these folks at risk by just being near them?" asked Gambit.

"What part of _irrational rage_ didn't you understand?" said Emma, "The irrational part is their willingness to go through anyone to get to us. That means it's only a matter of time before someone gets caught in the crossfire. That also means we have to hit a little harder to strike back at that collective mentality."

"You almost sound confident," said Rogue dryly.

"Look at this way…at least there's no shortage of targets."

Emma's crass assessment was overshadowed by more former humans storming the area. It sounded like at least a dozen were fighting their way up the stairs. They burst into the room, led by Vargas every step of the way. He had awoken after being knocked unconscious earlier. Now bearing the distinct purple eyes of every other former human, he led the charge against the X-men.

"YOUR TIME IS WANING, X-MEN!" yelled Vargas with ten enraged former humans following him, "YOU HUMILIATED ME! NOW YOUR CORPSES SHALL HANG FROM THE HIGHEST HILL!"

"You again?" groaned Emma.

"Ain't you humiliated _yourself_ enough, Vargas?" said Rogue.

"HA! THIS TIME I HAVE AN ARMY AT MY SIDE!" he yelled.

Rogue and Emma prepared themselves for the onslaught. But before Vargas could lead a full charge, another figure emerged from behind the two X-men. It was Senyaka, who had unwittingly set this chaos into motion. Using the same energy whip that disabled Vargas earlier, he twirled it around and used it to lasso Vargas once more.

"Some army," scoffed Senyaka as he started draining the enraged man's life energy, "And I thought Magneto was a blowhard."

"ARGH! NOT AGAIN!" exclaimed Vargas as his energy was drained once again.

As Vargas was drained, the army of former humans behind him hesitated. It turned out to be a mistake because while they were focused on Vargas, two metal shards shot up from the floor and carved a series of gaping cracks around the floor. These cracks quickly grew, causing the floor to become destabilize.

"IT'S A TRAP!" yelled one of the former humans.

"Nope, it's just me," said Mercury from below.

"Make that _us_!" said Pixie, the former resident of District X that was carrying her.

The former humans behind Vargas tried to run out ahead of the cracks, but it was too late. The floor collapsed and every former human fell through. Some crashed through the floor below, creating more holes. Along the way they missed Mercury and Pixie, who were hovering just below the opening. Pixie flew them both up where they joined Senyaka.

"This time I'll make sure you take a much longer nap," said Senyaka to Vargas as he clenched his whip.

"Listen to the man, Vargas. You'll be doing yourself a favor. You don't want meh to have to knock you out," said Rogue menacingly.

"You X-men…made a big mistake," seethed Vargas has his strength was drained, "You should've…embraced this world."

"Sorry, but mass extinction just isn't our style. And in case you haven't noticed, the X-men are big on style," said Emma in a vain tone.

"Then you…will doom…us all."

Vargas was fighting Senyaka's life-draining whip much more ardently than before. Senyaka clenched his whip even harder, trying to drain more of his energy. Then with strength that he shouldn't have been capable of, Vargas grabbed Senyaka's whip and yanked it hard. That caused the Sri Lankan mutant to stumble forward where Vargas struck him with a punishing left hook.

"Argh!" grunted Senyaka as he fell to the floor.

"Ooh, should he have been able to do that?" asked Pixie.

"No…he shouldn't have," said Mercury.

Shifting her arms, Mercury formed large blocks for hands as she tried to go after Vargas. It looked like Senyaka only drained a portion of his life energy. A few quick blows to the head should finish the job, but she was unable to land them. Vargas managed to duck under her attacks and strike her in the face. That warped her liquid metal complexion, allowing Vargas to grab her by the arm and throw her across the room where she was caught by Emma Frost.

"Ungh! My face!" said Mercury in a slurred tone.

"Perhaps you should have taken my academy more seriously," said Emma as she helped her up.

"You're just hitting all sorts of lows ain't ya, Vargas?" said Rogue as she quickly rushed to protect Pixie.

"That was lower than low! Give me a shot at him!" urged Pixie.

"He ain't as drained as he looks, sugah. Let us durable folk handle this," said Rogue.

"Aw come on! I never got this chance in District X!" complained Pixie.

"You'll get more than your share, little girl. For siding with the X-men, you'll suffer their same fate!" seethed Vargas.

His threat was quickly reinforced by renewed commotion from below. Despite having plunged several floors, the former humans that followed Vargas were back on their feet. Some of them had agility that allowed them to jump right up through the hole in the floor. They were soon joined by others that were carried on a wave of a glowing force shield, courtesy of a young Indian boy with an enlarged head.

"YOUR SCOURGE CANNOT HIDE! YOU WILL BE PURGED FROM THIS WORLD!" yelled the boy as he and the former humans joined Vargas.

"These mindless drones are as annoying as they are unoriginal," said Emma as she led Pixie back into the room with the rest of the mutants.

"Ah'm sick of it too, but there's too many of them!" said Rogue as she stayed behind to confront them, "Guess Ah'll have to settle for roughing up Vargas."

"You seem to forget that I have more than just an army to back me up," grinned Vargas.

That reminder was accompanied by more punishing force waves from outside. It caused the whole building to rock violently. Cracks formed in the walls, evoking panicked cries from those sequestered in the other room with Isaac. As the shaking intensified, Gambit stumbled using his bow staff for support.

"It ain't looking good out there," he said, "Those hommes with the wings be stepping up their attack and Remy be running out of cards."

"Does it look like it's going any better here, Cajun?" quipped Rogue.

"I believe that proves my point," grinned Vargas, "Now I am tempted to ask that you surrender yourselves in exchange for the innocent lives you're protecting, but I have a feeling I'd just be wasting my time."

"As if you wouldn't have screwed us over anyhow," said Emma, rolling her eyes.

"You're probably right," Vargas replied, "So I'll have to settle for roughing you up far less than you deserve."

Rogue, Gambit, Mercury, Senyaka, Pixie, and Emma Frost were already cornered when they decided to barricade themselves in this building. Now the math of the battle was finally catching up with them. Vargas and the 999,999 humans-turned-mutants that Magneto controlled made it painfully clear that would never stop hunting them. They had run out of tactics to hold off the onslaught and they still had other mutants to protect. At that point, all they could do was keep fighting.

"Any lessons from the Academy that could help us now, Ms. Frost?" asked Pixie.

"I'm afraid this is where general education reaches its limits," she answered while still in her diamond form.

"In other words, we start winging it?" groaned Mercury.

"Pretty much," said Rogue as she cracked her knuckles.

The X-men prepared to fight off Vargas's attack. They could see him drooling at the prospect of overwhelming them. Then in an unexpected turn, all the surrounding windows burst open and a powerful gust of wind shot through the building. It was so powerful that it knocked Vargas and the army of former humans behind them off their feet. It also forced the X-men and their associates to duck for cover.

"Whoa! Is that another attack?" exclaimed Senyaka, who had finally risen from his wounded state.

"Non…Remy knows these winds too damn well," said the Cajun.

"On a place like Asteroid M? Is that even possible?" said Rogue over the howling gusts.

As more winds came howling through, Isaac braved the danger and stumbled in from the other room. From his position with the other mutants, he saw the source of these gusts.

"X-men, look outside!" said the holy man, "Our saving grace has arrived!"

"I presume you mean metaphorically," said Emma, who already sensed what he was referring to.

Rogue, Gambit, Mercury, Pixie, and Senyaka looked out the blown windows where the winds were still howling. They noticed the skies outside had become wavy and distorted. The gusts seemed to follow these distortions. The X-men followed the trails back up to Storm, who was hovering a few dozen feet over the building. It looked like she was channeling a new form of nature and it created some punishing effects.

Among those most affected by such affects were the flying mutants that had been attacking the building with force waves. They included two brothers with wings and gargoyle-like appearances and a young woman with moth-like wings. They had been swirling the building along with a flock of bird-like creatures bearing the same purple glowing eyes. They had kept the X-men indoors to this point. Now under Storm's chaotic winds, they found themselves swept away.

"THESE WINDS! WHERE ARE THEY COMING FROM?" exclaimed one of the brothers, acting as though he had never seen such chaos before.

"THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE! THIS SHOULDN'T BE!" exclaimed the young woman.

"It appears Magneto made this world _too_ comfortable," said Storm in an imposing tone, "I suppose that means I'm doing him a favor, as much as I loathe the notion."

Her eyes glowed brighter than they ever had before. Armed with the power of chaos, she unleashed more gusts of wind from the distorted skies above. Swirling clouds formed above the building and around the winged mutants trying to stay aloft. They made a vain attempt to attack Storm. They were swept away before they could get close enough. From the that chaos, Storm finally cleared the skies above the building and gave the X-men some much-needed breathing room.

"I hope you don't mind the light breeze! These are not the winds I'm used to!" said Storm through the windows.

"I'll take a full-blown hurricane over Vargas any day," said Rogue as she and the others retreated back towards Isaac.

"Nice to see you makin' yourself at home, Stormy," said Gambit, "What about the others?"

"Since it appears you destroyed the elevators and stairs, they had to take an alternate route," she replied with a wry smile.

More punishing winds swirled into the building, pushing back Vargas and his army of former humans even further. That allowed Rogue, Gambit, Emma, and Isaac to retreat into the other room where some very confused mutant refugees were trying to make sense of the winds.

They were then startled by the sound of something heavy striking the floor above them. They all looked up just in time to see Warpath and Colossus punch a large hole into the ceiling. From this hole, they entered along with Psylocke and Domino. If their hair was any indication, they endured quite a trip on Storm's winds.

"Hey guys! Mind if we drop in?" said Warpath.

"I've never been more relieved to hear someone make such a terrible joke," said Emma.

"Cut us some slack! My head is still spinning from having to ride a tornado," said Psylocke as she tried to fix her long purple hair.

"Still beats getting ripped to pieces," said Domino.

"Hate to break it to you, chere. But you might not have much better luck here," said Gambit.

As Warpath, Colossus, Domino, and Psylocke entered the area, Vargas and his army of former humans braved the winds in an effort to attack again. Many were disoriented. The purple glow in their eyes flickered as if Storm's actions disrupted whatever mind control they were under.

"DESTROY THE…PURGE THE…SCOURGE!" said a number of former humans through jumbled words.

"Pull yourselves together! It's just wind!" yelled Vargas, "They X-men are destroying our world. They must be stopped!"

"As Bobby would say, you need to _chill out_ ," said Storm from outside.

More powerful gusts filled the building, this time laced with snow. It continued to disorient the former humans, but not as much as before. Vargas remained determined. He was the only one that seemed unaffected by this sudden influx of chaos. He still had his sights set on the X-men and the human they sheltered.

It was still painfully clear for Rogue, Gambit, Emma, Warpath, Colossus, Psylocke, and Domino. They had an endless army of mind-controlled mutants to battle and plenty of free mutants trying to escape the chaos. There was no way they could fight them all off, even with the full force of Storm's attack.

"You may be right, Gambit," said Colossus, "Staying in a crowded city full of mind-controlled mutants may not be the best strategy."

"As if our chances outside the city are much better," scoffed Domino, "At least here we don't have to deal with the High Evolutionary's animal farm."

"Well we clearly can't stay here. We'll only be cornering ourselves and other innocent mutants," said Warpath.

"Then we won't stay here," said Isaac strongly as he continued looking out the window, "Now that Storm has cleared the way, we can make our move."

"What move?" questioned Psylocke, "Did you guys come up with a plan or something? Was throwing Wolverine to the wolves outside part of it?"

"If that be part of a plan, ain't nobody told Gambit," said the Cajun mutant.

Isaac exchanged glances with Domino and Emma Frost. They seemed to know what he was referring to. With Vargas's forces bearing down on them, they didn't have time to explain it.

"Seeing as how we're in no position to share the details, you'll just have to trust us and wing the rest," said Emma.

"Coming from you, that sounds way worse than it ought to," said Rogue.

"Then trust me instead," said Isaac as he turned to Rogue, "Forgive me if I'm pushing the limits of our trust, but this plan involves you flying me to Magneto's citadel."

"You wish to confront Magneto in his home on his world while surrounded by armies of his associates?" questioned Colossus.

"Are you going to try and dissuade me?" asked Isaac.

"Nyet," he said, "In times such as this, the foolish move is often the most appropriate."

Rogue hesitated to heed Isaac's request. She didn't have time to overthink it though. Vargas and the army of purple-eyed former humans had reached them. Senyaka and Mercury tried to drive them back. Senyaka used his energy whip to harass three former humans with enhanced agility that were able to brave Storm's winds. Mercury had to fight off two young children with spikes protruding from their bodies. It left Colossus to handle Vargas, as he came at them more determined than anyone.

"YOU WILL NOT DENY US OUR NEW WORLD!" yelled Vargas.

"And you will not deny us ours," said Colossus sternly.

Just as Vargas reached them, Colossus avoided his attack with a spin move and laid him out with an uppercut. More former humans followed, looking increasingly disoriented from Storm's winds. It forced Rogue to make her decision on the spot. She turned towards Gambit, Domino, and Psylocke, who nodded to offer their support.

"You sure you guys can hold your ground here?" asked Rogue.

"Don't be worry about us, mon amour. We can handle a world of angry mutant folk," assured Gambit with his traditionally cocky grin.

"For a while, that is," said Domino as she prepared her guns.

"It won't take long. You have my word," said Isaac sternly, "I may have unyielding faith, but I wouldn't have come here if I didn't have the tools. If my information is correct, I need to be at Magneto's citadel to make it work."

"I've already confirmed it, darling. Telepathy never lies and neither do stray thoughts," said Emma, still in her diamond form.

"Then we need to hurry," said Isaac as he turned back towards Rogue, "We'll need more than just the Lord's blessing to get through this."

"Seeing as how Ah ain't big on disappointing the man upstairs, Ah'll give you mah word as well," said Rogue, "Ah'll get you to the citadel if Storm can keep the weather lousy."

"From the looks of it, that won't be an issue," said Warpath as more cold gusts swept through the building.

"Then Gambit will have to save the kiss and say goodbye in another way," said Gambit.

The Cajun braved the cold gusts from Storm and joined the battle with Colossus, Senyaka, and Mercury. He took out one of his few remaining decks of cards and charged every one of them. He then unleashed a shower of charged cards all over Vargas and the approaching former humans. A rapid succession of deafening bangs ripped through the already damaged building, blinding any mutant that had firepower and leaving a brief opening for Rogue and Isaac.

"Guess that's our cue," said Rogue as she grabbed Isaac and took to the air.

"May God be with us," said Isaac as he held on tightly.

"Do us a favor and try not to meet him too soon," said Emma Frost.

Rogue and Isaac left the ever-encouraging Emma behind with Gambit, Psylocke, Colossus, Domino, and Warpath. They joined up with Senyaka and Mercury to take on Vargas and his associates. After the smoke cleared from Gambit's explosive card trick, they were ready to attack again and the X-men were ready to resist them for as long as they needed.

As Rogue and Isaac flew out through one of the broken windows, some of the mutant refugees still huddling for cover waved goodbye. Isaac waved back, which helped to reinforce the faith he had imparted on them.

' _Endure just a bit longer, blessed ones. God's grace is already with you. It is I who must earn it.'_

Isaac closed his eyes and braced himself through the high winds as Rogue flew out from the building. They passed Storm, who watched them take off and used her winds to clear the skies of any flying mutant or animal. They could already see the citadel in the distance. It was an imposing structure that they would have to traverse if they were to save both worlds.

As they flew over the plaza, they passed over the bludgeoned Wolverine. He hadn't let up in his efforts. He still played a vital role, directing as many former humans towards him as possible. He had just taken a barb through the chest from a mutant with the appearance of a sting-ray. He grimaced only briefly before yanking the barb out and kneeing the mutant right in the gut.

The feral mutant noticed they were going down a lot easier since Storm arrived with her mini-hurricane. Seeing Rogue and Isaac pass over gave them even more hope. Despite his face dripping with blood, he managed a wolfish grin as he prepared to take on the next wave of aggressors.

"Good luck, bub," he said as he prepared his next attack, "Too bad I gotta stay here and distract Magneto's meat puppets. I would _love_ to see the look on his face when he finds out how badly we're gonna screw him over this time!"

* * *

 **Citadel – Lab**

Cyclops had stared down some pretty nasty adversaries before. It was especially unsettling when one of those adversaries was his teammate and former teacher. Beast, now in his much darker and much more primal form, stood within a few feet of where he was bound by Magneto's metal restraints. There was nothing left of the witty intellectual. There was only a snarling man beast, sizing up his prey for slaughter.

Phoenix, Nightcrawler, Professor Xavier, Captain Freeman, and Wanda watched this horror unfold. They were still bound within their metal restraints and Magneto made sure they had no chance of breaking free. He and the High Evolutionary seemed mildly amused at the prospect of Cyclops being mauled by the Dark Beast.

"Leave him alone!" Phoenix cried out.

"Don't do it, father! You're supposed to be better than this," urged Wanda.

"You know, she may have a point," said the High Evolutionary in a humored tone, "Go on. Give the boy a fighting chance."

"It's only fair," shrugged Magneto indifferently.

The master of magnetism used his powers to free Cyclops. The metal restraints slithered back into the floor and ceiling, allowing the X-leader to fall to the floor. Before he could even get up though, Dark Beast lunged for him and grabbed him by the torso.

"RRRRRAAAARRRRRRRR!" the Dark Beast roared.

"Ack! Would it be fair to give him a breath mint while you're at it?" grunted Cyclops.

The X-leader struggled to break free from the primal figure's grip. He felt his clawed nails digging into his flesh, forming wounds that stained his uniform with blood. Ignoring this pain, Cyclops used his legs to kick Dark Beast in the neck. That kept him from taking a bite out of him, which he could tell he wanted to do.

As his nails dug in further, Cyclops managed to deliver a hard knee to the lower jaw. That silenced the snarling momentarily and loosen Dark Beast's grip. It allowed him to slip out for a moment and adjust his visor. However, he remained reluctant to fire.

"Don't make me do this, Beast," he urged the snarling creature, "Don't fight me. Fight the ones that did this to you."

"ERRRRRRRR!" snarled the Dark Beast, showing few signs of resistance.

"What are you waiting for, Summers? Blast him already!" urged Captain Freeman.

"Give him a chance to fight it, Captain," said Cyclops, "He can beat this!"

"I'm sure he appreciates the vote of confidence, but I don't see him fighting anything, mein friend," said Nightcrawler.

"Any chance you could just teleport us out of this?" asked Captain Freeman.

"Vhat do you zhink I've been trying to do?" the German mutant grunted, "I can't teleport vithout taking zhe whole citadel vith me. And even I don't have zhat kind of power."

"I appreciate the effort, but I can handle this," said Cyclops strongly. "So can Beast."

His confidence in his former teacher seemed misplaced. He continued to resist using his optic blasts to strike Dark Beast. That allowed the snarling creature to pounce again. Cyclops managed to avoid the strike, rolling to his side and trying to least Dark Beast away from the others.

While Cyclops continued to narrowly avoid Beast's attacks, the High Evolutionary's demeanor shifted. The demonstration was supposed to reinforce the notion that he was in control of this world. Through his cosmic awareness, that notion was being undermined. He sensed the disturbances the other X-men had created. They found a way to disrupt the carefully tuned ecosystem that he and Magneto painstakingly constructed. It created some interference that even his cosmic gaze couldn't see through.

"Is something wrong? You don't seem to be enjoying the show," said Magneto.

"It's the rest of the X-men. They're proving more pestilent than expected," said the High Evolutionary as his eyes kept flickering.

"I've been in that position before," said Wanda snidely, "First you underestimate them. Then they find a way to beat you."

"That's _not_ going to happen this time," said Magneto confidently.

"As if I would allow it," scoffed the High Evolutionary, "The Brotherhood has nearly completed the thrusters. They'll be active before any of your friends arrive. I sense they're trying to shroud themselves in some sort of cloak, but they cannot change your world's fate."

"That'll just give them more reason to mess up this tidy little world of yours," spat Captain Freeman.

"It also gives me a reason to speed up this little experiment," said the High Evolutionary as he turned back towards Cyclops and Dark Beast, "I was going to have our new Beast here merely incapacitate your friend. Since your comrades insist on making this difficult, I'm content with _disposing_ a potential test subject."

The High Evolutionary's purple eyes flared again. This time Dark Beast's eyes flashed as well, indicating that he had received new orders. Now instead of trying to pin Cyclops, the imposing figure used more lethal tactics.

He started slashing with his sharpened nails and punching with his oversized fists. Cyclops narrowly avoided these attacks and soon found himself cornered near a bio tank. Despite this lethal turn, he would not blast his former teacher.

"Don't do these guys any more favors, Beast," said Cyclops, "You're helping him destroy our world!"

"HRRRRRRRR DIIIIIIIEEEEEEEE!" roared the Dark Beast.

The imposing creature attacked again, slashing at Cyclops with his oversized fists. This time he couldn't avoid the attack. Dark Beast's ape-like agility was too quick. The X-leader took a hard blow to the side.

Bones broke and blood gush from the resulting wound. The pain was intense. Cyclops tried to stay on his feed, but it proved too difficult. Dark Beast grabbed him again by the torso. Cyclops tried to kick his way out of the deadly grasp. Dark Beast didn't let him, though. In a blind rage, he threw the X-leader across the lab so that he crashed into an array of servers.

"ARGH!" exclaimed Cyclops as he impacted the array.

"SCOTT!" Phoenix cried out in horror.

"So much for your faith in your former friend," said the High Evolutionary snidely.

"Can it, you overgrown Teletubbie!" barked Captain Freeman, "You should have blasted him when you had the chance, Cyclops."

The X-leader looked seriously wounded. He hit the servers so hard that he left a sizable dent in the front panels. The force broke more bones, leaving the X-leader bloodied and battered. He remained conscious, sitting in an upright position. With blood dripping down his face, it was clear that he had no chance of fighting back at this point.

While the sight was horrific for the X-men, the High Evolutionary was deeply satisfied with these results. His new Dark Beast had taken to his new persona nicely. Cyclops's efforts to reach Hank McCoy were laughable. Now the snarling creature looked ready to deliver the killing blow.

"I'd say this is a successful experiment," said the High Evolutionary.

"I agree," said Magneto indifferently.

"DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU BOTH TO FUCKING HELL!" Phoenix yelled out with tears now forming in her eyes.

"There's no place for such language here on Asteroid M," said the High Evolutionary snidely.

"I'LL USE WHATEVER FUCKING LANGUAGE I FEEL LIKE! YOU DECEIVE US! YOU TRAP US! AND NOW YOU'RE HURTING THE MAN I LOVE! YOU DESERVE EVERY FUCKING WORD OF IT!" roared Phoenix.

"Such a fiery spirit," teased the High Evolutionary, "Yet still so weak. And from someone I once saw wield cosmic power, no less. It's really pathetic."

The High Evolutionary waved Dark Beast down, allowing Cyclops's wounds to fester for a bit before he met his end. He turned his attention towards Phoenix.

She was now struggling against her metal restraints more than anyone. She had tears in her eyes, looking more desperate than enraged. She had the look of someone who had once been strong, but was now painfully impotent. His cosmic awareness told an even greater story that Wanda, Nightcrawler, Captain Freeman, and Professor Xavier weren't aware of. It made her a perfect candidate for his next test subject.

"You're pushing your luck by pissing _her_ off," warned Nightcrawler.

"Thank you for the advice, but I'm safer than you think," said the High Evolutionary as his purple eyes flickered, "My cosmic awareness allows me to keep a close eye on other cosmic forces in the universe. I know Miss Grey here was quite entwined with one of them. That Phoenix mark on your back gives it away."

"If you can see that, then you know I'll rip you to shreds if you hurt Scott again!" yelled Phoenix.

"I don't doubt that you would do so if you had the power. That's exactly why I've ordered Dark Beast to spare him for the moment."

"Why? Just so he can suffer more?"

"No…so I can make this next test easier," said the High Evolutionary.

His purple eyes still flaring, the High Evolutionary retrieved another syringe filled with the exotic substance that turned Beast into such a monster. He then approached her with a sinister gaze. Magneto followed close behind, summoning more metal to restrain her as she tried to use her telekinesis to free herself.

"Take one step closer and I swear…" seethed Phoenix.

"You would love to, wouldn't you?" taunted the High Evolutionary as he held up the glowing syringe, "But you don't have that power. In fact, not having that power has been _torture_ , hasn't it? So much so that you've considered measures unbecoming of any X-man."

Now the others were curious as well. Phoenix's outrage faltered under the High Evolutionary's man's cosmic gaze. She tried to hide the shame under a veil of anger, but the imposing figure was intent on making a point.

With Magneto ensuring that she couldn't break her restraints, the imposing figure reached for the belt on Phoenix's uniform. He opened a small compartment that usually contained small first aid materials. From it, he retrieved a familiar vial of reddish fluid. When Nightcrawler, Captain Freeman, and Professor Xavier saw it they gasped.

"Is zhat…" began Nightcrawler.

"MGH? Seriously, Jean?" said Captain Freeman with a harsh scorn.

"It's…not what you think," exclaimed Phoenix, "I never took it. I just…"

"You wanted to use it the next time you felt too weak. It was your last resort. A symbol of your ineptitude," said the High Evolutionary as he tauntingly dangled the substance over her, "You can't regain your cosmic power so you were willing to settle for the next best thing. You know what says about you? Other than being weak of character?"

"I'm pretty sure I don't give a damn what you think," shot Phoenix, her voice clearly wounded by his words.

"It says to me that you _want_ to be powerful again. It's a viable experiment. By giving you the same dose as Beast, you'll have that power again. And with it, _you'll_ be the one that slays Cyclops. You'll be the one that slays the rest of your friends as well, assuming they'll even make it that far."

"No! You're fucking crazy! I won't do it!" she exclaimed.

"You cannot deceive one with cosmic awareness, Jean Grey," said the High Evolutionary wryly, "Your outrage says one thing, but your weakness says so much more. You _want_ to be a true Phoenix again. You _want_ this power, more than you want your friends or your former lover. And I'm going to give it to you. Not as a gift or an act of mercy…but out of pity."

The High Evolutionary retrieved a syringe. Wanda, Nightcrawler, Captain Freeman, and Professor Xavier looked on in horror. They had all seen Phoenix wield cosmic power before. They knew how dangerous it made her. With that kind of power and the High Evolutionary controlling her like Dark Beast, there would be no stopping her.

"Zhis is mandess!" exclaimed Nightcrawler, "If she has even a fraction of her Phoenix strength, you'll destroy both worlds!"

"This is one thing you can't be control and you know it, father," spat Wanda.

"You need not worry, my daughter. Only the X-men will face Phoenix's wrath," assured Magneto, "Her power will be a fitting addition to Asteroid M. Under our control, we'll never be weak again."

It horrified Jean Grey in way that struck at her very core. Even more terrifying was that the High Evolutionary might have been right on some levels.

Losing the Phoenix Force had rendered her weak. She kept that dose of MGH with her at all times, ready to take it when she couldn't afford to be weak again. It was pathetic. She deserved to be outraged with herself more than the High Evolutionary. Her weakness was about to cost her everything.

As she watched the High Evolutionary prepare her dose, a raging fire started growing within her. It was a fire that hadn't burned since she lost her connection with the Phoenix Force. She was no longer trying to telekinetically break her metal restraints. All her outrage and focus was directed inward.

The faint flicker of cosmic fire that resided in her burned stronger. All the weakness and vulnerability she had struggled with played out in her mind. Then she looked towards Cyclops, who was still badly wounded. Through all this inner toil, the dormant fire within her began to burn through all that weakness. As the High Evolutionary readied the syringe, that fire finally reached the surface.

"Admit it, Jean. You want this," said the High Evolutionary.

"No…I don't," said Phoenix in a stern yet focused tone.

"You cannot keep fighting it. You need it!" he said as he motioned to inject her.

"No…I DON'T!"

In a fiery burst that would have surprised any cosmic awareness, Phoenix's body erupted in a burst of fiery flames that knocked back both Magneto and the High Evolutionary. Magneto was knocked flat on his back, hitting his head in the process and rendering him unconscious. The High Evolutionary ended up crashing into the computer terminal just below his monitor. While they were overcome with shock, Phoenix used her new fiery power to break her metal restraints. Now free, she hovered with a familiar bird-like shape surrounding her.

"Damn, we sure could've used _that_ earlier," said Captain Freeman.

"Jean…has zhe Phoenix Force returned?" asked Nightcrawler.

"This isn't the Phoenix Force. This is all _me_ ," said Phoenix proudly.

As she continued to flex her renewed power, the metal restraints were weakened. Wanda, Nightcrawler, Captain Freeman, and Professor Xavier were finally able to catch their breath. The metal over Professor Xavier's mouth fell off as well. After being silenced, it looked like the X-men finally had a chance to fight back.

"The restraints are weakened, Phoenix! Free us!" urged Professor Xavier.

"Oh no you don't! Not while I'm still in control!" said the High Evolutionary as he picked himself up, "Dark Beast, a new meal awaits you!"

Dark Beast, who had been standing over Cyclops's wounded form, turned around and snarled at the fiery figure. The purple glow in his eyes flickered and he let out a feral snarl as he charged Phoenix with murderous intent.

"HRRRRRAAAAAARRRRRR!" the feral figure roared.

Phoenix didn't flinch. She remained in a steady hover as Dark Beast leapt into the air with ape-like agility and tried to slash her with his claw-like nails. He didn't even get halfway because Phoenix caught him in mid-flight with her telekinesis. The enraged creature continued to snarl and thrash wildly, reaching out in vain to attack its prey.

"I can't break the hold he has on you, Beast. Your mind is too tainted by the High Evolutionary's influence," said Phoenix.

"ERRRRRRR MUST…KILL!" Dark Beast snarled through his feral rage.

"I'll apologize for this later. But I'm sure Sage won't mind nursing you back to health," said Phoenix.

With a casual gesture, Phoenix used her telekinesis to fling Beast clear across the lab. He impacted a series of observation tables, landing with a hard thud and tumbling into a stack of lab equipment. The impact was rough. It didn't knock him out, but it rendered the snarling creature dazed.

"Do you think throwing my friends at me will make me any less pissed?" said the Phoenix, her voice radiating with newfound power.

"I didn't expect Dark Beast to slay you. I only needed him to distract you," said the High Evolutionary in a mischievous tone.

Phoenix turned away from Dark Beast to see what he was referring to. While she had been preoccupied, the High Evolutionary slipped over towards the wounded Cyclops held him in a choke hold. He still had the syringe he tried to use on her in hand. Only now he had it pointed towards Cyclops's neck.

"Scott!" gasped Phoenix, her strength quickly turning to concern.

"Hurry Phoenix! Cut us loose and we can help you," urged Professor Xavier.

"You won't move a muscle, telekinetic or otherwise," said the High Evolutionary, "Not unless you want your wounded leader to become my next test subject."

"You stick him with that needle and you'll have more a cosmic power tearing you to pieces," threatened Captain Freeman.

"Spare me your empty threats. You saw what this did to Beast. Do you really want see what it will do to your wounded friend?" said the High Evolutionary.

Phoenix looked back towards Wanda, Nightcrawler, Captain Freeman, and Professor Xavier. They were just as eager as she was to tear into this man. However, Phoenix was reluctant to call his bluff. She had the power to torment this man in a billion different ways, but she couldn't use any of them without hurting the man she loved.

"I thought so," he said with a wry grin.

"You're only adding to your long list of mistakes," said Captain Freeman.

"How do you expect this to play out, Wyndham?" questioned Wanda, "You think holding Cyclops hostage will spare you further punishment?"

"Your threats are still empty. I have an entire world with which to fight you, last I checked," taunted the High Evolutionary, "And in case you've forgotten, my transverse electromagnetic modulation thrusters are about to go online. Soon, your world will be gone. Only Asteroid M will remain. No matter how much you oppose me, this is still my world. I'm still in control."

The High Evolutionary held the needle closer to Cyclops's neck, further discouraging Phoenix from making any moves. As she gazed into his glowing purple eyes, she sensed what he was capable of. Even with her renewed Phoenix power, there was nothing she could do to stop him.

Every second that passed was another advantage for the High Evolutionary. Phoenix remained paralyzed by his threat to inject Cyclops. Then, something unexpected happened. Cyclops, who to this point looked too wounded to stand, started laughing.

"Ha! Control…you really ought to get those cosmic eyes of yours checked," he said Cyclops in a tone that sounded very unlike him.

"Your voice…it's different," said the High Evolutionary suspiciously.

"Different…yet familiar," said Phoenix.

As Cyclops continued laughing, Phoenix sensed something new. It had been blocked from her since before this mission even began. Now she could feel it, leaving both her and the High Evolutionary in a rare state of shock.

"It's as hilarious as it is ironic. Control freaks are the easiest to deceive," said Cyclops, now in a completely different voice.

While the High Evolutionary was in shock, Cyclops displayed a rare show of flexibility. With renewed strength, he slipped out from the choke hold and kicked the syringe right out of the High Evolutionary's hand. Then in another uncharacteristically acrobatic move, he delivered a punishing jump kick that knocked the High Evolutionary back towards his computer monitor.

"Argh!" grunted the High Evolutionary.

"Whoa! I didn't know Cyclops could kick like that," commented Captain Freeman.

"He can't," said Nightcrawler, who already knew the truth, "That's not Cyclops."

"Nope! And thank _heavens_ for that," he said.

They all watched with growing bewilderment as the figure that resembled Cyclops rose up, his poise still frail due to lingering injuries. He then removed his visor, revealing a familiar pair of yellow eyes.

"Mystique!" gasped Professor Xavier.

"You were Scott from the very beginning?" exclaimed Phoenix.

"Yell at him. Not me. This whole crazy scheme was _his_ idea," said Mystique as she returned to her regular form.

"What scheme?" demanded the High Evolutionary, "And how did you escape my cosmic awareness?"

Despite her wounded state, the shape shifter kept grinning smugly. The baffled expressions from Phoenix, Xavier, Captain Freeman, and the High Evolutionary were so satisfying that they dulled most of the pain she was feeling. Even Nightcrawler and Wanda looked somewhat humored, despite still being stuck in Magneto's restraints. Their plan turned out to be a lot messier than she hoped. In the end it still worked, ensuring that the High Evolutionary would get an uncomfortable dose of chaos.

"I wouldn't worry about that as much as I would that fancy gizmo you have in the basement," said Mystique wryly, "If you weren't able to see through my disguise, then I doubt you're aware of what's going on with the Brotherhood as we speak."

* * *

 **Asteroid M Lower Levels – Earlier**

"Is it time for a post-lunch snack break yet? All this heavy lifting his making me hungry," said Blob as he snapped the last of the heavy modules into place.

"Just out of curiosity, is there ever a time when you _don't_ whine about your next meal?" asked Frenzy, who was hauling a similar yet smaller module.

"If you're going to be working with us, you had best get used to Blob's appetite. It's _never_ satisfied. It just gets less ravenous every once and a while," said Quicksilver as he ran back and forth at high speeds, connecting various wires in the process.

"You think this magnetic shield can protect us from it?" asked Kid Omega, who was using his telekinesis to keep a few smaller components in place.

"I'll be satisfied if it just shields us from all the bullshit back on Earth. A little peace and quiet will be nice for a change," said Pyro as he used his flames to weld some panels into place.

"Yep! It'll be just you and the voices in your head, Pyro. I already fear for our future," teased Quicksilver.

The Brotherhood's light-hearted teasing reflected their relatively high spirits. For once, they weren't tasked with attacking or defending anything. Instead, they were only tasked with making sure Asteroid M operated at full capacity. Being part of Magneto's inner circle promised many perks within this new world. After so much toil back on Earth, it was a welcome change.

After receiving instructions from the High Evolutionary, Frenzy led Havok, Polaris, Quicksilver, Blob, Pyro, Kid Omega, and Unus through the final assembly of the transverse electromagnetic modulation thrusters. The core of the large seven-story structure was mostly intact. The Brotherhood's primary task was connecting it to the Warlock generators and installing the primary shell components.

That required a lot of heavy lifting by Frenzy, Blob, and Unus. They installed what they understood to be stabilizers for the shield while Polaris and Kid Omega pieced together an array of metal panels to encase the structure while Pyro did the welding. Havok and Quicksilver took care of the wiring, which was nearly complete. As power started flowing from the Warlock generators, the glowing resonance core from Genosha started pulsating with greater intensity. The promise of being in their own world that was protected by an impenetrable shield was nearly realized.

The Brotherhood were so excited about activating the shield they didn't notice a glowing yellow portal forming behind a large conduit about fifty yards from the machine. From this portal, three figures emerged. One was Illyana, the source of the portal. She carefully led the other two figures, Cyclops and Angel, through the glowing gateway. They remained quiet as they took in their surroundings and assessed the mission before them.

"It's just like Mystique and Nightcrawler reported," said Cyclops as he peered around the conduit, "That's Magneto's big gun, complete with the fireworks we saw on Genosha."

"Great. Can we destroy it already?" said a restless Angel, "Wanda said that Wyndham guy had this cosmic awareness power. He probably knows we're here."

"Wanda also said it could be blocked," said Illyana, "That's where my magic comes in. It successfully shielded Mystique. That's almost as impressive as forming a portal on an orbiting space station. Isaac really came through."

"That means we have to return the favor," said Cyclops as he adjusted his visor, "You sure you up for this Warren? You were in a hospital bed less than a day ago."

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss this for the world…well, two worlds in this case," said Angel with a grin.

"Then would you like to do the honors?" asked the X-leader.

"Seeing as how you were the one that put me in that hospital bed, it's only fair."

The winged mutant further defied his doctors' orders and flexed his techno-organic wings. He took to the air, shooting up from behind the conduit and quickly made his presence known. He flew right over an area where Polaris and Kid Omega were trying to hold the last few panels into place. Leading with his metal wings, he swooped down towards them at high speeds.

"No fucking way," exclaimed Quicksilver, who noticed Angel immediately, "Lorna, look out!"

"For what? I don't sense…" began Kid Omega.

"You do now!" proclaimed Angel as he rammed into them.

The strike caught Polaris and Kid Omega completely by surprise. Illyana's magic along with Emma Frost's mental shields assured that Kid Omega had no chance of sensing them. As they both fell to the floor in stunned daze, the panel they were holding up with their powers lost its support. Since Pyro wasn't done welding it, he fell with it.

"Hey! What gives you-WHOA!" exclaimed the Australian mutant.

The heavy panel along with Pyro came crashing down. He narrowly avoided being crushed, landing with a hard thud near Polaris and Kid Omega. He damaged his flamethrowers in the process, ensuring he couldn't use his fire powers any further.

The commotion quickly riled the rest of the Brotherhood. Havok, Blob, Frenzy, and Unus dropped what they were doing and joined Quicksilver. When they looked up to see Angel flying around, they let out a collective groan.

"X-men!" exclaimed Blob, "Please tell me my eyesight is failing."

"No worse than your cholesterol, I'm afraid," lamented Unus.

"How the hell did they even get here?" grunted Frenzy.

"Who cares? Just take him out before he does any more damage!" yelled Havok as he rushed to Polaris's aid.

Blob, Frenzy, and Unus spread out as Angel flew up higher. They watched as he used his techno-organic wings to rip off the protective shell they had constructed around the transverse electromagnetic modulation thrusters. Since they couldn't reach him in the air, they each grabbed whatever heavy equipment was still handy. Blob grabbed a large toolbox while Frenzy and Unus grabbed chunks of scrap metal.

"First one to hit him gets a free dinner!" grinned Blob.

"I didn't leave my cushy job at White Cell to pick up dinner tabs. Bird Drain is dead!" yelled Frenzy.

The three powerful mutants each threw their heavy equipment up towards Angel at high speeds. This forced him to stop his attack on the thrusters and evade them. He wasn't as fast or as agile as he usually was. The toolbox Blob threw at him struck his left wing, causing him to tumble through the air somewhat. He still managed to stay aloft, but his condition was catching up with him.

"Ugh! Guess the doctors didn't shoot me up with enough morphine," groaned the winged mutant, "Anytime you two!"

"You're the one who volunteered," reminded Cyclops.

While the three powerful mutants were focused on Angel, Cyclops slipped in behind them with Illyana. He adjusted his visor before firing out a wide-arced blast. It wasn't the kind of blast that would seriously wound durable mutants. It was the kind that left them stunned and vulnerable to the next attack.

"Errr! There are more of them?" grunted Unus upon feeling the sting of the blast.

"Should've been a given," said Blob.

"I'll take care of him," said Frenzy, who shook off the blast, "You guys go back to crushing bird boy before he wrecks the whole damn thing!"

"Trust me, Frenzy. If that was our mission, _this_ wouldn't be necessary. Right Illyana?" said Cyclops.

"True, but it wouldn't be nearly as fun," she said with a mischievous grin.

As Frenzy moved in to attack Cyclops, Illyana carried out another spell. Through the deep concentration she had learned, her eyes and hands started glowing. Just as Frenzy was within striking distance, that same glow shot out from the Russian teenager's hands and consumed Frenzy along with Blob and Unus. Once this light surrounded them, their powerful bodies stiffened to the point where they looked like statues.

"Hnn…can't move," grunted Blob.

"What did…you do to us?" demanded Frenzy.

"Just a spell that would make Shaman and Margali proud," said Illyana, "Don't worry. It'll wear off in about an hour or so."

"An hour?" exclaimed Unus.

"Consider yourselves lucky. This will all be over by then," said Cyclops as he gazed up at the imposing machine before him, "Keep an eye on them, Illyana. I'm going to…"

"YOU'RE GOING TO DIE FOR THIS!" interrupted an angry voice.

The X-leader suddenly found himself blind-sided by an angry Quicksilver. He had been tending to Polaris and Kid Omega with Havok. When he saw what Illyana did to the others, he sprang into action.

He ran in at speeds that rendered him a blur to the naked eye, shoving Cyclops away from the machine and pinning him against a nearby transformer. The speedster didn't give him time to reach for his visor. He went right for the finishing blow, jamming his forearm up under Cyclops's neck in an effort to choke him into submission.

"I've had it with you X-men!" he exclaimed, "Why can't you just fucking leave us alone? We're not trying to destroy your world this time. So why the fuck are you trying to destroy ours?"

"Hrrrr!" gasped Cyclops as he struggled for air.

"Cyclops!" exclaimed Illyana.

"It's okay!" he grunted, "I got this. Just keep…an eye…on the others."

"As if magic would save your sorry ass this time!" seethed the speedster, "It's bad enough you corrupted my sister! Now nothing's going to stop me from…"

Then, Quicksilver was the one cut off. Before he could finish his threat, Angel flew down at high speeds and grabbed him by the leg. The speedster was so enraged that he was too distracted to use his speed to avoid it. Angel quickly flew him several hundred feet into the air, holding him upside down by one leg.

"Whoa! Hey! Let me down, you overgrown feather-duster!" he cried out.

"At this height, nothing would make me happier," said Angel with a wry grin, "But I think I'll leave punishing you to Wanda. She's better at it anyways."

Quicksilver kept fuming. In that humiliating position, Quicksilver couldn't use his speed to attack. Not wasting too much time catching his breath, Cyclops set his sights on the transverse electromagnetic modulation thrusters. He refused to be blind-sided again. That meant confronting the last remaining threat, which turned out to be his brother.

Havok had since moved Polaris and Kid Omega to the side where they would be out of the line of fire. They were sore and had the wind knocked out of them. They weren't in a position to take on this new threat so with focused anger, he confronted his older brother.

"I thought we were beyond this, Scott," said Havok sternly, "You told me the truth about our father. I was willing to pull back after that, but not this time! Not with Asteroid M!"

"Alex, would it do any good to tell you that this contraption you're working on _isn't_ a shield?" said Cyclops as he approached his misguided sibling, "Whatever Magneto or the High Evolutionary told you is a lie!"

"They didn't lie when they brought Polaris back from the dead," retorted Havok, "Sorry, big brother. But you'll have to do better than _that_."

"You think she'll feel the same way once you're proven wrong?" questioned Cyclops, "Would she even _want_ to live in a world where her own father killed billions?"

"You're not going to psyche me out, bro! We lost Genosha because of this shit. We're not going to lose Asteroid M!"

Not surprisingly, Havok refused to listen. He unleashed his attack, firing a punishing energy blast from his hand. Cyclops responded with an optic blast of his own. The two opposing energies collided midway in a burst of energetic sparks, canceling each other out and doing little damage.

Undeterred, Havok used those sparks as cover to confront his brother more directly. He landed a solid punch to the face and a kick to the shin. Still reeling from Quicksilver's attack, Cyclops shook it off and countered with several punches to Havok's torso. He aimed right for the ribs, managing to bruise a few of them. Havok tried to land another head shot. Cyclops blocked it and delivered a powerful kick to gut. That sent Havok tumbling back towards the machine, which was just what Cyclops needed.

The two brothers continued to clash. Cyclops saw in his brother a desire to recapture what they tried to build on Genosha. For once, he was fighting for the luxury of not having to fight. It was a change that Cyclops never thought he would see. The revelation about their father being alive along with influence from Polaris had affected him. That didn't mean he was any less stubborn.

"I don't have time to convince you I'm right, Alex. Don't expect me to hold back!" urged Cyclops as he deflected another kick to the shin.

"You were holding back? Could've fooled me," grunted Havok as he went in for another punch to the face.

"I've been fooling myself lately," grunted Cyclops as he blocked the attack and grabbed his brother by the arm, "I've deceived my friends. I've betrayed both teams. I've completely lost control. That means I'm more inclined to do stuff like _this_."

While Cyclops had his brother's arm in a firm grip, he adjusted his visor and fired a single shot. The blast hit Havok right in the face. It didn't cause any physical wounds since his body was immune to Cyclops' blast, but it still blinded him in a way that was painful and disorienting.

While in a dazed state, Cyclops leveled his brother with the kind of haymaker he always avoided. He felt a few bones in Havok's jaw break as he fell flat on his back. It effectively ended the fight, but not without mixed feelings.

"Ungh…" groaned Havok as he coughed up blood.

"Trust me, I didn't enjoy that as much as you think," said Cyclops, "You can return the favor later. Right now, I need to complete my mission."

The X-leader stepped over his wounded brother, ignoring the pain he put him in. He walked by the paralyzed Blob, Frenzy, and Unus. They were still stuck under Illyana's power. Looking up at the transverse electromagnetic modulation thrusters, he saw in the center the same glowing core from Genosha that started this whole affair. This same core would be the key to stopping this madness.

"Are we ready to shut this thing down?" asked Angel as he flew over, "I'm getting tired of hearing Quicksilver curse me out."

"Fuck you!" yelled the speedster.

"We're ready," said Cyclops distantly as he took out his communicator, "Illyana, start working your magic again. I'll give Iceman and Moira a call. They should be just about done on their end. I'm sure they're just as eager as we are to start the fireworks."

* * *

 **Up next: High Evolution Part 5**


	25. Issue 173: High Evolution Part 5

**Issue #173  
High Evolution Part 5**

* * *

 _A new generation bearing extraordinary powers is emerging. Hated and feared by a world that doesn't understand them, Professor Charles Xavier trains his X-men to fight for peace and understanding. This message often conflicts with larger struggles to control the destiny of mankind's evolution. The obsession for such control leads Magneto and his associate, the High Evolutionary, to construct a new world called Asteroid M to house new generations of mutants._

 _The potential threat posed by Asteroid M prompted the governments of the world to send Professor Xavier and his X-men up to Asteroid M alongside Magneto's daughter, Wanda Maximoff. While there, they watched the High Evolutionary turn nearly a million normal humans into mutants with technology derived from MGH. But it didn't stop there._

 _Magneto and the High Evolutionary were intent on destroying any threat Earth could pose to their new world. As such, they prepared to use Warlock technology to strip away Earth's magnetic field, exposing it to solar winds and killing all life. Once this plan was exposed, the X-men tried to stop it._

 _However, Magneto and the High Evolutionary turned all of Asteroid M against them. It seemed they were in complete control. Then, they found out that Cyclops, Angel, Isaac, and the rest of X-Force deceived them with help from Illyana Rasputin's magic and Mystique's shape-shifting. After having neutralized the Brotherhood, the X-men prepare to deliver the final blow with plenty of help from friends back on Earth._

* * *

 **New York City – District X**

"Hurry up, guys!" shouted an impatient Iceman, "Moira and I just got the signal from Cyclops. They're ready on their end!"

"And we're just about ready on ours so ye can skip the part where you have a panic attack," said Jubilee, who was working alongside her Lights and the rest of X-Factor.

"I'm _not_ having a panic attack," Iceman complained.

"You had a panic attack on our first two dates, Bobby. There's no shame in having one when the fate of the world is on the line," said Magma as she teased her boyfriend.

"Seeing as how we get to stay on Earth for our part, I'd say we have _much_ less to complain about," said Hellion.

"As if that ever stopped Iceman before," joked Shadowcat.

It was the most elaborate collective effort by mutants in recent memory. District X was officially the last occupied mutant settlement in a world that had been vacated. Bishop, Sage, and Multiple had watched their people leave for Asteroid M. Knowing little good could come from trusting Magneto, they opened their doors to this ambitious endeavor that they understood to be part of a much larger plan.

The race was on to finish the elaborate construction effort in the middle of the former mutant community. Jubilee, Transonic, Zero, Primal, Velocidad, and Oya helped unload the materials that had been shipped in from Muir Island. Iceman and Shadowcat then led Hellion, Sunspot, Cannonball, Meltdown, Surge, Moonstar, Rockslide, X-23, and Magma in clearing out the necessary space for the main structure.

Once the foundation was laid, Multiple and his army of duplicates led X-Factor and the Lights in the primary construction of the major components. Sunfire and Dr. Nemesis worked with Moira MacTaggart and Forge to make sure the inner workings of the device were properly configured. Banshee led Rahne, Bishop, and Sage in an effort to hook the machine up to the New York City power grid. The process was kept secret by the psychic efforts of the Stepford Cuckoos, which wasn't too difficult since the city was reeling from riots around Central Park.

The combined manpower of Muir Island, the Lights, X-Factor, and District X created a vast device that stood over twelve stories tall and took up several blocks. It was shaped like a large tuning fork with two metallic towers connected to a much wider base. Within the base was an elaborate array of electronics and amplifiers. Some of it was fueled by Warlock technology, which helped provide the materials that would help the device overcome certain laws of known physics that were necessary for this operation. Once complete, this device would ensure that Magneto's elaborate new world would be rendered impotent.

They were just about finished when they received a message from Cyclops moments ago. His ploy on Asteroid M had succeeded. That menacing hunk of space rock was vulnerable. X-Factor and the Lights were nearly finished assembling the base. Moira, Forge, Sunfire, and Dr. Nemesis were almost done configuring the central towers. Banshee and Rahne met up with them to let them know the big moment was upon them.

"We just finished hooking up the generators to the utility lines. We're ready on our end," reported Banshee.

"If by hooking up ye mean low-jacking our way into the power grid, I agree," teased Rahne.

"You make it sound as though we're stealing it, Miss Sinclair," said Dr. Nemesis as he went over some configurations on a tablet computer.

"Aren't we?" questioned Forge, "This thing is going to suck up enough juice to black out half the east coast for a half-hour."

"They'll get over it," said Dr. Nemesis indifferently, "If what we heard from Cyclops is accurate, they'll accept the inconvenience if it means not being fried by solar winds."

"Are ye always this casual with bending the rules?" asked Rahne.

"I work at a school run by Emma Frost. Bending the rules is practically our motto," sighed Sunfire.

Rahne and Banshee rolled their eyes as they helped Forge make the final tweaks on one of the central array. As they closed various control panels and finalized the configurations, Sage met up with them along with Bishop and Multiple.

"X-Factor and the Lights just hooked up the last amplifier. They're ready to get this show on the road," said Bishop.

"I've also hacked every major power sub-station within a five-hundred-mile radius. I'm ready to redirect all power to the device and I'd like to do it now," said Sage in a more urgent tone.

"You sound almost as paranoid as Iceman," commented Multiple, "Hope you're not panicking on us too, Sage."

"I'm trying no to. I just have this sinking feeling that things are getting very bad up there," said Sage as she used her computer-like mind to program the main generator, "You heard what Cyclops and Angel reported. Magneto and the High Evolutionary have turned all of Asteroid M against the X-men! They're all in grave danger."

"Then it's a good thing X-Force put together this elaborate plan of deception and physics-defying hardware," said Moria MacTaggart, "I wish it weren't necessary, but we all knew Charles wasn't in a position to do more with it."

"That's what happens when you work with the government. Trust me, he was screwed before this even started," said Forge as he closed up the last panel.

"Then let's finish our part already so we can get them off that rock," said Sage in a more forceful tone.

"I take it that means you're not open to a few final test?" said Dr. Nemesis coyly.

"You want to risk the wrath of an angry telepath, go ahead. I'm ready to flip the switch and enjoy the show," said Forge as he packed up his tools.

"As am I," said Moira, "Let's get clear of the fireworks. This is going to be quite the light show."

"One we probably won't be able to disguise, for the record," said the Stepford Cuckoos, who had been lingering close by.

"Given the situation on Asteroid M, we don't need to be hidden anymore," said Moira, "We _want_ the world to see this."

"Always one for spectacle, are ye lass?" teased Banshee.

"Even in the face of global extinction, it never hurts to show off," said Dr. Nemesis.

Moira signaled X-Factor and the Lights. She led Bishop, Multiple, Sage, Forge, Banshee, Rahne, Dr. Nemesis, Sunfire, and the Stepford Cuckoos away from the central towers. They quickly met up with X-Factor and the Lights, who were just as eager to move back and fire up this weapon.

They made their way back to the M-Building where Rockslide and Hellion set up a safety barrier. Along the way Multiple had his duplicates check the heavy cables that fed into major utility lines before recalling them. Once everybody was behind the barrier, Forge and Sage took over.

"Fight now? Fight now?" said Teon eagerly.

"Yes Teon. Now we fight," said Forge distantly.

"How bad do you think it is up in Asteroid M?" wondered Sunspot.

"It's probably best not to speculate," said X-23 flatly, "If this contraption does what you say it'll do, it should help them."

"Always a bit of an _if_ though," said Shadowcat.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, guys. But this is one project where I've left no room for error," said Forge confidently as he linked a couple of wires into the computer in his arm, "Sage, start pumping in the juice!"

"You sure we shouldn't step back a bit further?" questioned Cannonball.

"Now where's the fun in that?" Meltdown.

The brisk air grew tense with anticipation as Sage and Forge issued the final commands. Couples such as Hellion and X-23, Magma and Iceman, and Moria and Banshee held each other a bit closer while everyone else watched with bated breath as the elaborate machine that their friends on Asteroid M were depending on. Through a few commands from Bishop's laptop, the process began.

Within seconds a loud humming sound started reverberating throughout District X. The vast array of circuits that lined the base of the device started glowing. The Warlock materials took on their distinct gold-on-black texture. As everything lit up, the two towers that now soared over District X erupted in burst of sparks. As these sparks intensified, the lights from around the city started to flicker. The energy was building up and intensifying with each passing moment.

"Here we go," said Sage, her emotions turned off so that she wouldn't worry about Beast.

"I'm already praying for them," said Oya.

"For Isaac?" asked Laurie.

"For everybody," she said.

"I ain't ever been the praying time, but I'll make an exception for this," said Bishop, "After this, it's all on the X-men."

"Is that supposed to worry us?" questioned Sunfire.

"If it didn't, then we wouldn't need to pray in the first place," said Bishop with a grin.

The activity with Forge's machine intensified. Sage used her laptop and her hacking skills to direct all the necessary power from the surrounding grid. The flickers throughout the city soon turned into rolling blackouts.

One-by-one, every grid went dark as the energy was channeled into the two towers. As it charged up, the sparks between them intensified. Within those sparks, a large ball of yellowish energy formed. It soon grew so large that it looked like a miniature sun. Jubilee, Transonic, Zero, Primal, Velocidad, Oya, Sage, Bishop, Multiple, Iceman, Shadowcat, Hellion, Sunspot, Cannonball, Meltdown, Surge, Moonstar, Rockslide, X-23, Magma, Sunfire, Dr. Nemesis, Rahne, Banshee, Moria, and the Stepford Cuckoos all shielded their eyes and said their prayers. Then Forge delivered the final command.

"God help us all," he said distantly, "But right now, the X-men need help even more."

From between the two towers, the yellowish ball of energy erupted into a massive column of light that shot up into the sky and through the atmosphere. It illuminated the evening sky as if it was the middle of the day. It signaled to District X, X-Factor, Muir Island, and the Lights that they had done their part. Now it was up to the X-men to finish the rest.

* * *

 **Asteroid M – Citadel**

The entire foundation of Asteroid M was dependent on controlling chaos. Magneto and the High Evolutionary went to great lengths to make sure everything worked in a way that would allow them complete control. When the X-men uncovered their secrets, that control was their best weapon. Now it appeared they had been utterly disarmed.

"NO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING! THIS WORLD OF MINE! ALL THIS HARD WORK!" exclaimed the High Evolutionary.

"Has officially gone to shit," grinned Mystique.

That harsh truth stung. Shortly after the revelation that Mystique had been posing as Cyclops, the High Evolutionary used his monitor to check on the transverse electromagnetic modulation thrusters. He tuned in just in time to see that Cyclops, Angel, and Illyana had subdued the Brotherhood and made some adjustments to his device. Using Illyana's portal, they brought in some Warlock technology of their own. With it, they attached what looked like beacons to the flickering core that had been retrieved from Genosha. Once it was in place, the chaos truly took hold.

Warnings blared. Sirens went off. A mysterious blast shot up from the surface of the Earth. It was like a massive lightning bolt, arcing its way through the depths of space. It arced towards Asteroid M where it connected with the transverse electromagnetic modulation thrusters. From that connection, the core from Genosha shorted out. It also sent a deep tremor that rocked the entire asteroid. Such chaos left the High Evolutionary enraged to the point of madness.

Phoenix, still surrounded by cosmic flames, rushed to Mystique and Dark Beast. They were both wounded so she instinctively made sure they were protected. As the images of Cyclops leading the attack against the Brotherhood played out over the High Evolutionary's monitor, Phoenix felt a surge of emotions.

"Scott Summers, you brilliant and frustrating man," she mused as she hovered over Mystique and Dark Beast, "How can I be so pissed yet so hot for you at the same time?"

"He told me to tell you that he would explain everything when this is over," said Mystique, "I would tell you to go easy on him, but given how he's been acting lately…well, let's just say he needs to be humbled."

"We both do," she said distantly while smiling at the monitor.

"In the meantime, we need to make sure your friend here doesn't wake up cranky."

Phoenix agreed and used her telepathy to keep Dark Beast unconscious. It was a welcome sight for Nightcrawler, Wanda, Captain Freeman, and Professor Xavier even though they were still trapped in Magneto's metal confines. There were a lot of questions to be answered, but for once things were going their way.

"You knew about this, didn't you?" said Professor Xavier.

"To a large extent, yes," said Wanda, focused on her still unconscious father.

"It vasn't just X-Force, Professor," said Nightcrawler, "Ve received help from everybody ve could reach. Zhat included District X, X-Factor, Jubilee's Lights, and our friends on Muir Island."

"And all in utter secrecy," said Xavier, sounding both impressed and somewhat disturbed, "How did you put it all together like this?"

"Not forgetting that some of us have a _huge_ problem with you going behind our backs," said Captain Freeman with a cold.

"Ve had to because you couldn't, Professor," said Nightcrawler, "Ve didn't need soldiers or authorities for a threat like zhis. Ve needed heroes."

The relief Xavier felt was now coupled with a sense of sorrow. It resonated in a way that was even more powerful than the outrage that the High Evolutionary was experiencing. He knew from the beginning that Mutant Monitoring Initiative was a risk. He worked so hard to make it succeed. Now he had proof that those efforts weren't enough. On top of that, he lost sight of what his X-men stood for and it nearly cost him dearly.

While Xavier processed that painful realization, Captain Freeman set aside his emotions and re-focused on the mission. The sudden turning of the tide meant they might be able to salvage some objectives.

While everyone was still reeling from the shock, he adapted his body more fervently. He adjusted his bones and limbs so that they were more malleable. He also changed the bulk of his arms so that he had greater strength. Meanwhile, the High Evolutionary scrambled to salvage any sense of control.

"I can still rebuild!" he said frantically, "You think disabling it will prevent me from destroying your world? You're wrong! I've plenty of other options at my disposal!"

"And I have just as many options to dispose of _you_!" grunted the Green Beret.

In another startling loss of control for the High Evolutionary, Captain Freeman broke out from his metal confines. Once free, he went right for the High Evolutionary. The imposing figure turned around just in time to receive a devastating punch to the head.

"Augh!" he groaned as he keeled over his console.

"Consider yourself lucky," said Captain Freeman, "Beating you to a pulp was only a secondary mission objective."

"You couldn't have done that a little sooner?" groaned Wanda, who was still stuck.

"Blame your old man! He kept doing too many metal tricks for me to adapt," said Captain Freeman, "That's why my primary mission objective is more important."

"What do you mean by _primary_ objective?" asked Professor Xavier suspiciously.

"I know you're naïve, Xavier. But you can't be that _deluded_ ," said the Green Beret, "X-Force isn't the only one who can play the deception game. Sometimes we need to lie to both our allies and our enemies."

Leaving the High Evolutionary hunched over his computer array, Captain Freeman turned his attention towards Magneto. He was groaning lightly, hinting that he wasn't completely knocked out and could still be a threat.

Ignoring every other detail for the mission, he walked up to Magneto's unmoving form and pulled out a small handgun he had stashed in his uniform. It didn't look like an ordinary handgun either. It was gray with a plastic texture. With little, hesitation, he pointed the gun right at Magneto's head.

"What the hell are you doing?" exclaimed Wanda.

"It's exactly what it looks like," said Captain Freeman as he cocked the gun, "The High Evolutionary was the brains of this operation. Now I'm taking out the muscle."

"Put the gun down, Captain! This wasn't part of the mission!" yelled Professor Xavier.

"Wrong again, Xavier. This was _always_ part of the mission," said Captain Freeman stoically, "Don't hate me for it. I'm just following orders."

* * *

 **Colorado Springs – Earlier**

"What exactly am I looking at here, General?" asked a confused Captain Freeman, "And please explain it quickly because I've got a ride to catch for Asteroid M."

"You don't need to know the nuts and bolts of it, Captain. You just need to use it," said General Grimshaw.

"Think of it as an overpriced gift from our friends at DARPA. They've been working on it since the Genosha uprising," said President Kelly, "We had a feeling this day would come eventually. I'm just surprised it didn't come sooner."

The strength of every soldier was measured by more than their strength in battle. The ability to follow orders was on par with the ability to wield a gun. Captain Freeman had done a lot of both throughout his career as a Green Beret. He rarely had mixed feelings about taking down an enemy, but the current situation was more complicated.

Before meeting up with X-Force and the X-men, General Grimshaw and President Kelly took him aside. They locked themselves in a psychic-proof meeting room. Once they were secure, the President opened an unmarked briefcase that contained a strange-looking handgun.

It looked like a toy of sorts, made mostly of plastics and ceramics. When General Grimshaw presented it to him, he included some orders that they hadn't discussed with Professor Xavier or Wanda Maximoff.

"Our tech boys call it the Magneto Magnum," said General Grimshaw, "It's the only gun in the world made without any conductive materials. Everything from the bullets to the gunpowder were made with Magneto in mind."

"So he won't be able to pull that old turn-guns-back-on-their-users trick?" said Captain Freeman.

"Like everything else from DARPA, it's more complicated than that," said President Kelly, "Along with the non-conductive materials are some newly minted smart materials. This means that if you were to shoot Magneto with this, it wouldn't just mortally wound him. It would wound the very forces from which he draws his powers."

"And are you telling me to wound him with it? After we agreed with Wanda and Xavier that we wouldn't kill Magneto?" questioned Captain Freeman.

General Grimshaw and President Kelly exchanged glances. They both understood the gravity of what they were doing. They were once again working behind Charles Xavier's back. It undermined their efforts during the White Cell conflict. However, they couldn't overlook an opportunity to take down Magneto once and for all. Every other world leader they spoke to agreed. Magneto had to die.

"Perhaps Wanda is right about her father. Perhaps he is a victim here. But he's still a cog in the same machine," said President Kelly, "So long as he's alive, he'll be a danger to this world. That's why you have to take him out regardless of what you uncover on Asteroid M."

"Even if everything is all peace and love, you expect me to shoot him in the head?" surmised Captain Freeman.

"We're working under the assumption that Magneto will _never_ change," said General Grimshaw, "I'm not too big on outright assassination either, but we've discussed this beyond many closed doors."

"So when am I supposed to do it? Moreover, how am I supposed to handle how pissed the X-men are going to be when they find out we're screwing them over again?"

"Worry about your mission, Captain. We'll worry about Charles Xavier," said President Kelly, "The man has demonstrated time and again that he can't get his head out of the clouds. He may save us from Magneto a million times, but it only takes one failure for everyone to suffer. I know I haven't shown much fondness for having a mutant in the American military, but you've shown me that you're damn good soldier. That's why I trust you'll do your duty."

Captain Freeman was in a difficult position to which even he couldn't adapt. He was essentially being ordered to betray the X-men and Wanda Maximoff. It flew in the face of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative.

The President and the General were willing to sacrifice it all to destroy Magneto. Looking down at the gun and back up at his superiors, Jack Freeman had few options. As a mutant, he had reservations about deceiving the X-men. As a soldier, it was his duty to follow orders and he was a soldier before he was a mutant.

"I know we're asking a lot of you, son," said General Grimshaw.

"No more than usual, General," he said as he stashed the gun in his uniform.

"We're counting on you, Captain. Do your country and your world proud," said President Kelly.

"Spare me the pep talk, Mr. President. I'll take care of it."

* * *

 **Citadel – Present**

Professor Xavier was overcome with a new kind of outrage. It was one thing to be deceived by Cyclops in an elaborate plan to trick their enemies. It was quite another when President Kelly, General Grimshaw, and every world leader in the world proved that they didn't care about the ideals of his Mutant Monitoring Initiative. It was just another symbolic gesture with rules that were to be bent, not honored.

"Don't do this, Captain!" urged Professor Xavier, "This is one order you shouldn't follow and you know it!"

"I'm not a very smart guy, Professor. How many good reasons are there to let this madman live?" questioned Captain Freeman.

"Here's one…he's my father!" yelled Wanda.

Captain Freeman was about to pull the trigger. Flushed with newfound anger, Wanda used her hexing powers to shatter her metal restraints. Her eyes glowed with hexing energy, reflecting her focused anger. As soon as she was free, she fired a hex bolt at Captain Freeman. The Green Beret saw it coming and ducked out of the way before it hit him. Despite the miss, she charged at him in a rage.

"You can't kill my father if I kill you first!" she roared.

"No Vanda! Don't!" urged Nightcrawler, who remained trapped with Professor Xavier.

Wanda unleashed a fury of hex bolts in all direction, causing the Green Beret to stumble back. He couldn't get a shot off with his gun so prepared to adapt to another punishing attack. The whole lab shook as she unleashed her first wave of hex bolts. However, they never reached Captain Freeman. Phoenix used her telekinesis and to divert it.

"Ungh! This is hard even with cosmic power," grunted Phoenix.

"Can you settle her down already?" exclaimed Captain Freeman.

"You're trying to kill her father! What did you expect?" said Mystique.

Phoenix's telekinesis clashed with Wanda's hex bolts, creating a volatile swirl of cosmic flames and hex energy. Wanda kept trying to get to Captain Freeman. She wasn't going to let this man carry out this mission of his.

While the struggle was unfolding, Nightcrawler and Professor Xavier remained trapped. Since Phoenix was preoccupied, they had no means of escape. There was so much commotion that they didn't notice that a new presence had entered the lab and was sneaking up behind them. Xavier sensed that it was Rogue and while everyone was distracted, she slipped in and freed them.

"Rogue!" exclaimed Nightcrawler.

"Heya little brother," she greeted as she broke his restraints, "Looks like Ah'm a little late to the party."

"Your timing is more impeccable than you think," said Professor Xavier, not taking his eyes off Wanda, "I take it you're also caught up in this elaborate plan?"

"That's one way of putting it," said Rogue as she broke the Professor's restraints.

"How did you find us?" asked Nightcrawler, who helped her with the Professor.

"That's a bit trickier to explain and this ain't the time to get into it. Ah didn't get all the details of this here plan, but Ah'm guessing that Wanda's tantrum ain't part of it."

"It isn't," said Xavier grimly, "I'll settle her down."

"Be careful vith her, Professor," said Nightcrawler anxiously.

"She's in a hex rage and you're still worried about her?" groaned Rogue.

Nightcrawler ignored Rogue's remark. The issue of his attraction to Wanda was still a point of contention, but one she would have to belabor another time. Now free and able to focus, Professor Xavier boldly entered the chaos.

Wanda's hex bolts were growing larger as she tried to fight through Phoenix's telekinesis. In her burning rage towards Captain Freeman, she started gaining ground. The Green Beret still had the special gun in hand. He tried to aim at Magneto through the hex bolts, but Wanda wouldn't let him. She would kill him before he got his chance. However, it never came to that. As the hex bolts were within inches of Captain Freeman, Professor Xavier struck her mind with a telepathic probe.

' _That's enough, Wanda! I believe you've made your point.'_

"Get out of my head, Xavier!" yelled Wanda, "This man betrayed you too! Why protect him?"

' _Because your father got into the habit of pusruing brutal cycles of vengeance. I'd rather not walk that path and neither should you.'_

Wanda kept resisting his probe, but her mind was no match for the world's most powerful telepath. The probe forced her to calm down. She let out a light groan as her hex attack slowed and eventually ceased. As she fell to her knees short of breath, Nightcrawler and Rogue rushed to her side and caught her.

"Don't fight us, Vanda. Ve don't need to be enemies anymore. Zhere are those of us zhat care about you a great deal," said Nightcrawler as he cradled her.

"Hnn…Kurt," was all Wanda got out in response.

"There goes mah lunch for the next two weeks," groaned Rogue.

Wanda quickly settled, now drowsy and dazed. This removed the barrier of hex bolts that had kept Captain Freeman from taking a shot at Magneto. Now with nothing in his way, he raised his special gun and aimed it at Magneto.

"I appreciate the save, Professor. But I won't say thanks by abandoning my mission," he said as he prepared to fire.

"I didn't expect you to," said Professor Xavier flatly, "Nor should you expect me to abandon mine."

Captain Freeman was about to pull the trigger when an unseen force ripped the gun from his hand. It wasn't the result of magnetism, which the gun had been designed to resist. It was Phoenix, who used her telekinesis to retrieve the weapon before crushing it with her new cosmic power.

"No!" he exclaimed as he watched the weapon crumble, "Damn it, Phoenix! Do you have any idea what you just did?"

"You mean other than prove that this fancy weapon can't resist telekinesis nearly as well as magnetism?" said Phoenix wryly.

"You may have just thrown away our only chance to neutralize Magneto! Did you not listen to one word of his crazy ramblings? Or did trapping us in metal not send a clear enough message?"

"We heard everything you heard, Captain. But I sensed something very wrong from the moment he showed up and so did Wanda," said Professor Xavier as he turned his attention to the still dazed Magneto.

"You sure that's not just blind loyalty to an old friend talking?" scoffed Captain Freeman.

"If you're not convinced, there is a way to prove it," said Professor Xavier.

The Professor turned his attention towards Magneto's discarded helmet. Wanda had been carrying it since they arrived and she dropped it after Magneto encased them in metal. Under Captain Freeman's harsh gaze, he picked it up and approached his old friend.

Rogue, Nightcrawler, and Phoenix remained vigilant just in case. They watched as Xavier knelt down and placed the helmet atop Magneto's head. Within seconds, the master of magnetism's face contorted and his eyes shot open. For a moment, they flashed a familiar purplish glow that was similar to that of the High Evolutionary. Then it faded, leaving little doubt as to who had been in control.

"Charles!" he said in a low yet forceful tone.

"Hello Erik," said Professor Xavier, "I sense you're thinking clearly now."

"Where is he? Where is Dr. Wyndham?" he roared as he shot up in a rage.

His voice was no longer flat and indifferent. It was full of the focused intensity that so defined Magneto. Only this time his anger wasn't focused at the X-men or even at Captain Freeman. It was focused completely on the High Evolutionary, who was still hunched over his console.

"Father?" said Wanda as she rose up with Nightcrawler and Rogue, "You look…"

"Sane? Competent? Enraged?" he offered, "Why shouldn't I be? I was aware the whole time! Before you even set foot on Asteroid M, he used me! He made me his puppet so he could create this twisted world of us!"

"By he, you mean…" said Captain Freeman, who was a bit slow at putting the pieces together.

"Who else could it be, Captain?" said Xavier, "Who else is _that_ obsessed with controlling everything around him?"

Everyone followed Magneto's gaze to the High Evolutionary, who was laughing despite his dazed state. The truth had come out. Asteroid M had been his vision and his alone. Neither the X-men nor Magneto could appreciate such ambition. Even in the face of Magneto's wrath, he clung to his vision and whatever control over it he had left.

"Erik, my old friend, you could never see past that temper of yours," the High Evolutionary taunted, "I gave you back your daughter. I created a haven for mutants. Are you outraged that I controlled you or that I succeeded where you failed?"

"It's a little of both so I'll be sure to double your torment," seethed Magneto as he approached his old friend.

"If you were truly aware the whole time, then you already know you'll fail," said the High Evolutionary with a humored grin.

The master of magnetism clenched his fists and summoned his powers. Using the metal fixtures of the citadel, he created a series of sharp spear-like barbs. He guided them so that they surrounded the High Evolutionary. He was prepared to impale him from every angle.

Then the High Evolutionary casually pressed a button on his wrist computer. This caused the purple armor on his suit to flicker ominously. As it did, Magneto felt a similar magnetic force oppose his powers. He couldn't force the metal barbs he created any closer to his former friend.

"You think your trickery will save you?" yelled Magneto.

"It already has," he said smugly, "My old associate, Romulus, perfected the process of artificially imposing mutant powers on a specimen. I just took it a step further and built it into my suit. That means any power you throw at me can be thrown right back at you."

"Even cosmic fire?" said Phoenix as the cosmic flames around her body flared up.

She tested the High Evolutionary's claims by unleashing a wave of telekinesis mixed with flames from the Phoenix Force. The test failed in the same way Magneto's attack failed. The High Evolutionary simply pressed another button, which triggered a mutant power that allowed him to make a glowing barrier that could not be pierced.

"I trust I've made my point," said the High Evolutionary.

"Is this your backup plan?" scoffed Mystique, "Are you going to hide behind these power so you can escape?"

"Zhe X-men just rendered Asteroid M powerless. You've nowhere to run!" said Nightcrawler.

"It's a two-way street, X-men," the High Evolutionary quipped, "While I may no longer control the fate of your old world, I still have control over this one. There are still nearly a million new mutants on Asteroid M and millions more animals that I can control. That gives me millions of ways with which to destroy you!"

The High Evolutionary further demonstrated his control by summoning new powers from his suit. With a simple gesture, he unleashed a powerful blast wave that shredded Magneto's metal barbs and sent the X-men flying back. Phoenix had to catch Mystique and the unconscious Dark Beast with her telekinesis. Magneto used his powers to cushion the impact for Xavier, Rogue, Nightcrawler, and Wanda. Captain Freeman used his own powers to adapt some extra durability, but the attack didn't stop there.

Even as Magneto the X-men endured the attack, the High Evolutionary unleashed more waves of power. Along with the purplish hue around him, ominous sparks shot out towards the X-men, accompanied by flame-like surges and force resembling telekinesis. It caused the whole lab to shake and the walls to warp, further reinforcing the power the High Evolutionary had over this world.

"Damn! Was he just waiting to pull that trick?" grunted Captain Freeman.

"He's making a point, Captain. We're still on his world!" said Professor Xavier, who had to hide behind Magneto for protection.

"Well, point taken!" grunted Phoenix as she used her telekinesis to defend against the attack, "Do we have any tricks of our own?"

"You just destroyed the only trick I had so don't look at me!" yelled Captain Freeman.

"We don't need any tricks," seethed Magneto, who used his powers to fight off the onslaught, "Throw whatever power you want, Wyndham. You won't escape my wrath!"

"Don't dare him, Magneto," groaned Nightcrawler as he protected Wanda while Rogue used her durable form to guard them.

"It's a little late for theatrics," taunted the High Evolutionary, "Hate me all you want. I'm still in control. Asteroid M is _my_ world. And if you insist on being in my way, then this world shall be your grave."

The High Evolutionary added more force to his attacks. The sparks grew larger and the flame-like surges grew stronger. Even the combined efforts of Phoenix and Magneto couldn't hold it off. They were driven back further, unable to oppose him despite their outrage. The High Evolutionary didn't even look like he was breaking a sweat. It looked like he was savoring this moment, knowing ahead of time that he was going to watch them fail. So long as he was in control, there could be no other outcome.

As the High Evolutionary watched Magneto and the X-men endure his wrath, he didn't notice another presence emerging behind him. Even his cosmic awareness didn't alert him to it. He didn't realize it was there until he felt a figure grab him from behind and offer an ominous message.

"Only one can be truly in control," said Isaac in a low tone, "And may He have mercy on your soul."

The High Evolutionary's purplish eyes widened. Then, before he could redirect any of his wrath, Isaac jammed a knife-like object right into his shoulder. It bore the same gold-on-black texture that was indicative of Warlock material. As soon as it was stuck inside the High Evolutionary's armor, he felt a powerful surge that struck at the very control he so deeply treasured.

"MY SUIT! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" exclaimed the High Evolutionary.

"I have saved this world and its people from a false profit!" yelled Isaac.

"NO! I CAN'T…ERRRRRRRAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"

The attack that kept Magneto and the X-men on their heels was stopped and reversed. Now the force of all this power was being redirected back into the High Evolutionary's purple armor. The lab continued to rumble as every machine within the lab started to malfunction with similar sparks. It was like everything in Asteroid M had been connected to the High Evolutionary and Isaac just pulled the plug.

"Isaac? How did he…" began Phoenix.

"Of course!" said Xavier as he pieced it together, "He must be the one human that didn't turn into a mutant."

"And for good reason," said Captain Freeman, "It kept him from becoming another meat puppet. But how the hell did he sneak up on us? How the hell did he even know where to find us?"

"The same way I managed to deceive him," said Mystique, "As for how he found us, that required magic of a different kind."

"I see what you mean," said Magneto as he watched the High Evolutionary suffer with smug satisfaction.

Professor Xavier saw it as well. He and Magneto kept their distance as they watched the High Evolutionary writhe in agony. His exotic purple armor started warping in ways that bore a striking similarity to Warlock materials. Having worked with that technology before, they saw what was happening. It was rapidly shutting down and the key seemed to be the shard that Isaac had used. It was like a wound being infected, rendering the once imposing figure to a shadow of his former self.

As this wound festered, the High Evolutionary fell to his knees. He kept trying to shove Isaac off, but the determined holy man maintained a firm grip on the shard. He kept driving it in deeper, making sure it did what it was designed to do. The High Evolutionary could feel every piece of Warlock hardware on Asteroid M shutting down. His control and his vision was literally fading before his cosmic eyes.

"My friends knew you kept a close eye on them. They also knew there had to be a source for this elaborate deception!" seethed Isaac as he twisted the shard.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!" the High Evolutionary cried out.

"Those same friends are just as smart as you. They created the Warlock Neutralizer. Once it integrates with a piece of Warlock material, it shuts it down and everything ever connected with it. You foolishly sought to control everything in this world so you linked it to your suit. It's a good thing the neutralizer also contains a source tracker. By making it part of your own flesh, you've doomed yourself and your vision!"

It was a cruel twist of fate, his grand plan for evolution being thwarted by a pestilent yet resourceful human. He could feel the end approaching. All the Warlock technology that he spent a lifetime mastering was shutting down. Isaac wasn't going to stop until it was all gone. However, he still had enough strength for one final act of control.

"ERRRRRRR! IF I AM DOOMED…THEN I'M TAKING YOU WITH ME! ALL OF YOU!" roared the High Evolutionary.

As the sparks from his suit became blinding, the High Evolutionary managed to activate his wrist computer. That fateful command sent another round of tremors through the citadel. Then, in one last blinding flash, his armor self-destructed and was literally blown off his body.

"ISAAC!" Rogue cried out.

"The hell did he do that for?" exclaimed Captain Freeman, "Did he just give up?"

"No…he's done something far more cowardly," said Magneto.

Magneto, Rogue, Nightcrawler, Wanda, Captain Freeman, and Professor Xavier rushed towards the High Evolutionary. Phoenix joined them while Mystique kept an eye on the unconscious Dark Beast.

When they arrived they were met with two ghastly sights. One was the High Evolutionary. His armor now gone, his old and frail body lay singed and blackened from the blast. Lying next to him was Isaac, who caught a significant amount of shrapnel from when the High Evolutionary's suit detonated. They looked like the kind of wounds that no ordinary human could heal from.

"My God…" gasped Phoenix, "These are serious, Rogue. It looks like some shards punctured his heart!"

"Then use that cosmic bird of yours to fix it, damn it!" Rogue exclaimed with tears forming in her eyes.

"I don't know if it's possible at this point, but I'll try," said Phoenix as she summoned more cosmic power.

"No…don't," said Isaac in a raspy voice.

"Come on, Isaac! Have a little faith here!" she said desperately.

"My faith…has never been stronger," he said, his voice now choked with blood, "I…I want this. I…need this. To fight alongside the blessed…to fight alongside my friends…is a gift from Heaven."

"Please Isaac…it doesn't have to end here. It can't!" said Rogue as more tears streamed down her face.

"That's not…for us to decide," he said, his voice getting weaker, "God called upon me…to serve him. If this…is how my service must end…so be it."

Rogue let out a wave of sobs as she clutched the hand of the dying holy man. Phoenix tried to comfort her in this moment of sorrow. This man had strengthened their collective spirits when their faith was weak. Now it was time to say goodbye.

"Ah'll pray for you," said Rogue sadly.

"Pray…live…love…cherish…and hope," said Isaac as his breath grew short, "By God's grace…we are all truly blessed."

Rogue could no longer hold back her sobs. She held onto Isaac's hand until he drew his last breath. He didn't fight his fate. If anything, he embraced it. That didn't make it any less difficult.

As Rogue sobbed, Nightcrawler joined Phoenix in consoling his sister. They held their heads low in sorrow. They had lost good friend and strong soul. His crusade was over, but theirs kept moving forward.

While the others mourned Isaac, the High Evolutionary wasn't finished. He was now surrounded by Magneto, Professor Xavier, and Captain Freeman. Now wounded and powerless, he was at their mercy. Yet he never stopped smiling. The purplish glow in his eyes continued to pulsate brightly.

"That was a dick move even for you!" scolded Captain Freeman, "Are you _trying_ to give us more reasons to kill you?"

"Go on. Do your worst," taunted the High Evolutionary, "In twenty minutes, it won't matter…for any of us."

"What is he talking about, Erik?" asked Professor Xavier intently.

"Oh he knows," said the High Evolutionary smugly, "Sometimes the next best thing to winning…is making sure everyone loses. I'm the one…who taught him that. He's also the one…who built the failsafe I just activated."

"Failsafe? I'm almost afraid to ask," groaned Wanda.

"It's not so much a failsafe as it is tying up a loose end," said Magneto, "You just activated the electro-gravitational reversal, didn't you?"

"What does that mean to those of us who never read a physics book?" asked Captain Freeman.

"Look at the monitor…and see for yourself," said the High Evolutionary.

Magneto, Wanda, Captain Freeman, and Professor Xavier turned around to see a new video feed that showed the lower level areas where Cyclops, Angel, and Illyana had disabled the transverse electromagnetic modulation thrusters. The once dormant machine was now active again, but in a very different way. It shook violently, causing more tremors to surge through Asteroid M. It was so violent that certain parts of the lower levels looked like they were collapsing.

"Oh no…Scott," gasped Phoenix as she noticed this as well.

"Vhat's happening down zhere?" asked Nightcrawler, who saw it as well.

"The designs for the transverse electromagnetic modulation thrusters were based on the same technology that allowed me to draw this asteroid on a collision course with Earth," Magneto explained, "Built right into it is a self-sustaining gravity drive, complete with an independent power source. That source just reversed it so that this asteroid is now on a collision course with Earth."

"Again?!" groaned Captain Freeman.

"Yes Captain…again," said Professor Xavier grimly, "I can already sense the confusion throughout the Asteroid. All the former humans are now free of the High Evolutionary's control, but they can feel this whole space station trembling out of orbit."

"So how do we stop it? There is a way to stop it, isn't there?" said Mystique, who was still keeping an eye on Dark Beast.

"There isn't," grinned the High Evolutionary, "You and everyone else on Asteroid M…will have a front row seat to ultimate extinction event. When the asteroid strikes Earth, both worlds will die…in a blaze of evolutionary glory."

"You have a very fucked up view of glory! If we weren't going to die, I'd fuck it up even more!" said Captain Freeman.

Magneto, Captain Freeman, and the X-men had any number of reasons to further torment the High Evolutionary. It wouldn't do them much good in the end. The High Evolutionary looked as wounded as Isaac. The life was draining from him quickly, a smug grin never leaving his face. He was content to take every other life with him as his vision literally fell apart.

More rumbles shook the citadel, stemming from the very core of Asteroid M. It sent a wave of dread through the X-men and presumably everyone else on this world. Panic and despair quickly set in. Charles Xavier and the X-men thought hard and fast, contemplating any possible way to stop this. For Magneto, his thoughts drifted elsewhere.

In the midst of this impending doom, the master of magnetism set aside his anger for the High Evolutionary and turned towards Wanda. She had since recovered from the telepathic attack from Charles Xavier. Now she was as scared as everyone else.

As he looked at her, his thoughts drifted to Pietro and Lorna as well. He had failed them so many times. In his effort to empower their kind, he hurt those closest to him. Yet for all the damage he had done, Wanda hadn't lost faith in him. She saw through the High Evolutionary's deceit and so had Charles. He didn't deserve such faith, yet that didn't mean he couldn't earn it.

"You're wrong. Neither world will die today," said the master of magnetism sternly.

"What are you talking about, father?" asked Wanda intently.

"Are we really so desperate that we're going to trust _anything_ Magneto says?" commented Captain Freeman.

"Since you tried to kill him, I think you owe him at _least_ that much," commented Mystique.

All eyes turned to Magneto while he gazed at the monitor, watching the lower levels of Asteroid M devolve into chaos.

"The device drawing Asteroid M towards Earth is based on electromagnetic conversions. That means I should be able to manipulate it," he explained, "It's too close to divert completely from Earth, but it should be possible to slow the descent. If I could _unreverse_ the reversal, the conversation flux should counteract the gravitational array."

"And that's a good thing?" said Captain Freeman in confusion.

"Learn some physics, Captain. It means we can avoid a catastrophic impact," said Phoenix.

"But by counteracting the gravitational array, the forces between Asteroid M and Earth would act like the opposing poles of two magnets," Professor Xavier surmised, "To maintain that kind of power would require a magnetic feat the likes of which you've never attempted, Erik."

"You need not mince words, Charles. The energy levels alone are likely to kill me," said Magneto, "But before both Asteroid M and Earth are safe."

It sounded like a foolish plan. It was also uncannily altruistic for Magneto. The rest of the X-men looked at him in amazement for even suggesting such a plan. For Wanda, it wasn't a plan. It was more madness from her father who she had done so much to save. She found herself shaking her head in disbelief at this grim plan.

"No! you can't do this to me, father! After everything you've put me through, you're an asshole for even suggesting it!" cried Wanda.

"It's the only way, Wanda," he said solemnly.

"Bullshit! We can find another way," she said, now having to be held back by Xavier and Nightcrawler.

"There isn't enough time."

"What about Pietro and Lorna? What about everything you left behind on Genosha?!" Wanda exclaimed.

"I would rather die to preserve a world for my children than have us all perish," said Magneto, "I know it's hypocritical on my part, but unlike my old friend I'm not willing to die a monster. I could care less about the people or the worlds that house them, but for my children and the future generations of our kind…I _am_ prepared to give me life."

"When you put it like that, it doesn't sound as heroic," muttered Captain Freeman.

"Yet heroic, none-the-less," said Professor Xavier as he approached his old friend.

Wanda kept shaking her head as tears streamed down her face. Nightcrawler continued supporting her. Magneto was dead serious. He was willing to die in order to save them. It left Phoenix, Mystique, Rogue, Nightcrawler, and Captain Freeman speechless. While Wanda was still horrified by the idea, she made no effort to stop him. As her father turned back to face her, she wiped the tears from her eyes and looked up at him.

"Wanda…my beautiful daughter," said Magneto in a loving tone she hadn't heard in so long, "You always embodied my greatest strengths while fending off my greatest weaknesses. I believed that one day you would succeed me. Well, that day has come and I couldn't be more proud of you."

Then in a ceremonial gesture, Magneto removed his helmet and his cape. He proudly placed the helmet atop Wanda's head and wrapped the cape around her neck. He could tell that she was reluctant to accept this responsibility, but she didn't refuse it.

"Father," she said in a solemn tone.

"Take care of your brother and half-sister," he told her, "Take what you've learned from me and your time with the X-men to lead our kind forward. I won't make you promise anything. I trust that you'll know what to do."

Magneto wiped away what was left of her tears. Wanda continued to sob, but she maintained a strong poise through those sobs. He saw in her the kind of strength that mutant kind would need moving forward. Confident that the world would be in good hands, he smiled and embraced his daughter for the last time.

The embrace didn't last long. The deep tremors throughout Asteroid M escalated. As soon as they parted, Magneto turned to Professor Xavier. He had been fighting back emotions of his own. Through their bitter rivalry, he still looked upon him as a friend.

"It's a good thing one of us never lost faith, Charles," he told him.

"It's better that neither of us lost each other's respect," said Xavier.

"I'm not going to say you were right all along, but I'm not afraid to admit that I was wrong on many levels."

"So was I," said Xavier.

The two men shared a friendly smiled. Xavier extended his hand to the master of magnetism in a gesture of mutual respect. Magneto reached out and shook it, honoring that respect once and for all. Since it was likely the last time they would speak, it was important that they leave behind the burdens of the past.

"Take your X-men and the ill-mannered Captain outside, Charles," said Magneto.

"Asshole," muttered Captain Freeman.

"The Brotherhood are still down there. I may need some assistance in making sure they escape."

"I can help with that," said Phoenix, showing her cosmic flames to prove her point, "Besides, Scott and I need to have a little _chat_ after this plan of his."

"You'll still end up in bed with him," said Mystique, rolling her eyes.

"Very well," said Xavier with a nod, "Then I guess there's nothing left to say other than Godspeed, old friend."

"You too, Charles," he said, "Know your limits from here on out. We're only human."

His ironic message evoked a bittersweet smile. The emotions of the moment were great, but the dangers posed by Asteroid M's descent were greater. Having said goodbye to his daughter and friend, Magneto levitated and flew off with Phoenix following close behind. His fate as well as that of every living creature within two worlds was now in his hands.

The rest of the X-men didn't linger as well. Still fighting off sobs, Rogue picked up Isaac's body and met up with Mystique. Wanda, Nightcrawler, Captain Freeman, and Professor Xavier quickly joined her. They all stood over the unconscious body of Dark Beast where Nightcrawler prepared to teleport them. Before they left the still mortally wounded High Evolutionary taunted them.

"YOU UNEVOLVED PILES OF POND SCUM! DON'T YOU SEE? MAGNETO WILL FAIL! YOU'LL ALL FAIL! WE'RE ALL AT THE MERCY OF EVOLUTION! YOU CAN'T FIGHT IT!"

"If zhat's how you feel, then consider yourself extinct," said Nightcrawler.

The X-men had endured enough of the High Evolutionary's ramblings. Using his powers Nightcrawler teleported the X-men out of the citadel in a puff of sulfurous smoke. It left the High Evolutionary alone where he could succumb to his wounds in peace. As the rumbling intensified and his citadel collapsed, the purple light in his eyes finally went out.

* * *

 **Colorado Springs – NORAD**

"No! No fucking way! No way God's sense of humor is that sick!" exclaimed an overwhelmed communications officer.

"Hold off on the heart attack, soldier. Tell us what's happening," said General Grimshaw.

"It's Asteroid M! It's…breaking off its orbit!"

"By breaking off, you mean…" said a wary President Kelly.

"It's exactly what you think! That damn rock is on a collision course with Earth _again_!"

The mood throughout NORAD was already tense. Shortly after the X-men left with Wanda, a painful waiting game set in. President Kelly and General Grimshaw worked feverishly to ensure that other world leaders didn't lose their mind while they waited for results. They also worked with the European, Japanese, Chinese, and Russian space agency to track Asteroid M. They detected little activity until moments ago. As a digital image of Asteroid M appeared on the main screen, the worst was confirmed.

"Oh hell," groaned President Kelly.

"Mr. President, sir!" said a Colonel from another computer terminal, "I just received word from Russia and France. They're seeing exactly what we're seeing."

"And let me guess. They want to know if it's okay to start firing off nukes?" groaned President Kelly.

"It probably wouldn't make a difference if they did," said a Major that had been in touch with missile command, "Given how big this thing is along with how close it is, there's no stopping it this time."

"So it's going to hit no matter what we do?" surmised President Kelly.

"That appears to be the case, sir," said the Major, his voice hiding a great deal of strain.

Dread and despair quickly spread throughout the control room. Some were already trying to get in contact with their families, ignoring their duties in the face of destruction. President Kelly remained dazed as he looked up at the digital screen, watching as the image of Asteroid M drew closer to the surface.

"Was this his plan all along, General? Was Magneto just waiting for the right opportunity to end us all?" said President Kelly distantly.

"Somehow I doubt that, Mr. President," said General Grimshaw, who was the only who maintained his poise, "This is all pretty sudden. We haven't gotten any word from the X-men."

"That should be a sign that they've either failed their mission or they're dead."

"I don't believe that. Not for a second," he said confidently.

"Well if you're _that_ optimistic, then what do you propose we do?!"

"There's nothing we can do, sir," said the General stoically, "You can try praying, but I doubt it will help. I'd much rather trust that the X-men know what they're doing because we clearly don't."

* * *

 **Asteroid M – Lower Levels**

"Hurry everybody! Into Illyana's portal!" yelled Cyclops as he rushed the Brotherhood along, "It doesn't look like this place is going to hold up much longer!"

"It would be a lot easier if you hadn't fucking paralyzed us," grunted Frenzy, who was still frozen in place along with Blob and Unus.

"Hate me for it later! Keep in mind I could have easily left you guys here!" he reminded them.

The Brotherhood didn't have time to despise the X-leader. The entire lower level of Asteroid M had become unstable. After Cyclops, Angel, and Illyana signaled that mysterious energy bolt from Earth it looked as though the tranverse electromagnetic modulation thrusters were disabled.

For a moment, everything was silent. Frenzy, Blob, and Unus remained paralyzed while Kid Omega, Polaris, and Pyro were still injured from the hit they took earlier. Angel kept holding Quicksilver by the foot in mid-air while Cyclops tried to explain to his brother what he was doing. Naturally, none of them believed that Magneto and the High Evolutionary had them working on some doomsday device. Then when Asteroid M started plunging to Earth, they took the X-leader's claim seriously.

Now the time for debate was over. Asteroid M was plummeting towards Earth and they were in the worst possible position for the impact. Despite their lingering animosity, the Brotherhood heeded their warning. Illyana formed a portal that would transport them to the surface of Asteroid M. Kid Omega used his powers to levitate and guide Frenzy, Blob, and Unus through. Pyro soon joined them, shaking off his injuries from earlier.

"So you know for sure that Cyclops and his buddies ain't bullshitting us?" questioned Pyro as Kid Omega led them through the portal.

"Telepathy doesn't lie," said the powerful psychic, "What makes more sense? That someone would trust us to put together a shield generator? Or that someone would trick us into slapping together an extinction machine?"

"Is that a rhetorical question, mate?" questioned Pyro.

"Shut up and get in the portal!" barked Kid Omega.

The Australian shrugged and followed Blob, Frenzy, and Unus through the portal. Kid Omega followed closely behind. By now Angel had finally set Quicksilver down. He was still combative, but Polaris managed to keep him from making a bad situation worse.

"Yeah, you better fly away!" yelled Quicksilver.

"You're welcome, Pietro," said Angel, rolling his eyes as he flew towards the portal.

"Give it a rest already!" urged Polaris, "You heard what Quentin said. We were tricked! The X-men stopped us from making a horrible mistake."

"That doesn't mean I nave to stop hating their guts any less," grumbled the speedster.

"They're not asking you to. They're just help you escape before we become the cosmic equivalent of bugs on a windshield."

Polaris's harsh words got Quicksilver to move along. He still scorned Angel even after he escaped through the portal. It never felt good when the X-men bested them, even when it meant saving their lives. He wouldn't thank the X-men for exposing the truth about the High Evolutionary as he led Polaris through the portal. He just wouldn't belittle them further, which was just as meaningful.

The tremors in the lower levels grew more intense. Chunks of the ceiling were crumbling as generators and heavy machines shorted out. As Asteroid M descended towards Earth, the whole structure of the Asteroid was compromised. Havok seemed oblivious to all this destruction around him. He was still a bit woozy after taking a beating from his brother, but Cyclops still helped him along.

"First you kick my ass and then you save my life? What kind of brother does that make you?" teased Havok as he leaned on his older brother for support.

"One who has to use very messed up methods to show he cares," responded the X-leader.

"Can't be too messed up," he said, "You did stop us from making a big mistake…again. That's still assumes what Kid Omega sensed from the surface was right."

"Are you doubting me now?"

"Sorry bro, but old habits die hard."

"Are you actually going to apologize for your piss poor judgment this time?" asked Cyclops.

"You know I don't apologize for being lied to. Just as you won't apologize for being an arrogant prick," quipped Havok, "But if you're willing to work on it, then so am I."

Cyclops stopped just before they entered the portal. He and his brother exchanged glances. There was a lot to say and not nearly enough time to say it. The tension between them had taken many forms, but after surviving the High Evolutionary's plot, there might still be a family relationship to salvage after all.

"You can work your petty sibling rivalry out later!" said Illyana, who was still standing by the portal, "Now can we leave already? The Earth is getting very big outside."

"Stay calm, Illyana," said Cyclops, "The X-men won't let this thing hit. I'm sure the Professor has already…"

A powerful tremor shot through Asteroid M, cutting Cyclops off before he could finish. The floors cracked and entire chunks broke off. One of them was right under where Cyclops and Havok stood. As two sides broke off, Cyclops instinctively shoved Havok towards the portal with Illyana as he fell back.

"SCOTT!" exclaimed Havok.

"Get him through, Illayan! I'll be okay!" yelled the X-leader as he narrowly avoided by crushed by falling chunks of the roof.

"We're not leaving you behind!" said Illyana.

"No…we're not," came a new voice.

As Cyclops was about to be buried under a pile of rubble, an unseen force diverted the falling chunks and stabilized the crumbling room. The X-leader's heart skipped a beat upon recognizing both the force and the voice.

Looking up, he saw Phoenix and Magneto descending through the crumbling structure. He noticed that Phoenix had her cosmic flare back. He also noticed her powerful gaze as she descended towards him. He hadn't felt that gaze in a long time and even through the destruction it triggered many emotions.

"Jean!" he said in amazement.

"Don't look so shocked," grinned Phoenix, "You deceived me and put yourself in the most dangerous position possible. Did you _really_ expect me to not come after you?"

"Would you hold it against me if I had doubts?" said the X-leader as he felt the warmth of her cosmic flames around him.

"Only if you don't give me a chance to relieve those doubts," she replied.

Mixed emotions continued to swirl between them even as Phoenix used her telekinesis to protect herself and Cyclops. Now surrounded in cosmic flames, they levitated through the falling debris and prepared to make their escape. Along the way they passed over Havok and Illyana, who were relieved to see that backup had arrived.

"Thanks for making my brother look foolish again, Phoenix," said Havok.

"Shut up and go through the portal, Alex!" said Cyclops, "We'll see you on the surface!"

"Is that part of a plan to stop this thing?" he asked.

"That's why I'm here, Havok," said Magneto as he descended, "Now do as your brother says. Tell Polaris and Quicksilver that this will all be over soon. And if you have time…tell them I'm sorry."

Havok was confused by the subtext behind Magneto's tone. However, he had little time to scrutinize it. The lower level was crumbling at an alarming rate. Cyclops and Phoenix were already on their way out. Trusting that Magneto knew what he was doing, Havok nodded and followed Illyana into the portal.

"We're trusting Magneto again?" questioned Illyana.

"When he says he's sorry, that's usually a sign," said Havok, "Now let's go!"

Havok followed Illyana through the portal, which soon closed behind her. Cyclops and Phoenix were already clear from most of the debris. They remained in a bubble of protective telekinesis as they prepared to ascend through the access shaft. But before they left, Phoenix used her cosmic power to aid the master of magnetism.

"I confirmed that the Brotherhood is now safely on the surface. I've also reinforced the supports and cleared the area around the thrusters. You should have plenty of room to work," said Phoenix.

"Then you've done your part, Phoenix. Take Cyclops and leave," he said stoically.

"Is there any other message you want me to relay?" she asked, knowing she might be the last person he speaks to.

"Yes. Tell everyone to hold on. This is going to be a _turbulent_ descent," said Magneto.

It was a clear enough message. With the walls from the lower levels still crumbling, Phoenix gave the master of magnetism one last vote of confidence before leaving with Cyclops. They took off in a telekinetic bubble, ascending through crumbling ceilings and supports that were rapidly deteriorating. Shortly after they left, the access shaft became clogged with debris. There was no escape now, but that didn't bother Magneto. He had no intent of escaping.

Taking a deep breath, the master of magnetism braved the shaking and the crumbling lower levels. He used his powers to shield himself as he entered the inactive transverse electromagnetic modulation thrusters.

He literally ripped it off its foundation and used the gaping hole to descend lower towards the heavy antenna-like components that extended below Asteroid M. The air grew thin and stale. Through the crumbling foundation of the Asteroid, he saw the glowing gravity array. It was still fully powered and self-sustaining. He could feel the vast levels of electromagnetic energy radiating from the array.

With determined grit, the master of magnetism carved through the thick layers of rapidly fragmenting rock. The gravity from the approaching Earth was already tearing Asteroid M apart. His time was short so without hesitation, Magneto placed his hands on the glowing array and channeled every bit of his powers into the large glowing structure. His old body ached, but the master of magnetism kept pushing.

' _I've lived my life as a victim, a father, a friend, a revolutionary, a criminal, and a monster. While my intentions may not be heroic, I have no qualms with dying as a hero.'_

The entire asteroid erupted in a new round of deafening bursts. The cracks from the base were finding their way to the surface. The Earth was getting so close that it dominated much of the sky behind him. However, Magneto never looked back. He just kept pushing.

Using his powers in ways he had never attempted, the master of magnetism captured the vast waves of energy that the gravity array was radiating and turned it right back on the vast structure. It was small at first, but that force grew at an exponential rate.

As it grew, the glowing energy engulfed his body. It was almost as if it was overtaking his body. Within minutes, the glow of the gravity array shifted from yellow to blue. In the process Magneto's eyes started glowing as well. All the power within the array now flowed through him. With it, he delivered a magnetic wave on a planetary scale.

' _So this is what it feels like. So much power…so many lives…all depending on me. Charles, you brilliant fool. I understand now. I understand completely.'_

* * *

 **Asteroid M – City X**

It was difficult to comprehend the scale of certain forces. Those who had been so amazed by Asteroid M's size and majesty were now starting to get a sense for the breadth of a world that was about to collide with another. There was no hiding from it. The control imposed by the High Evolutionary had lifted. The technology he demonstrated had shut down. Asteroid M and every man, woman, child, and animal within it were just passengers aboard of flying chunk of rock.

It was difficult enough for 999,999 former humans to emerge from their controlled state. It was even harder to find out that this beautiful new world was crumbling around them. Violent tremors reverberated all throughout Asteroid M. The once lush landscape was now fragmented with large fissures.

Lakes and rivers were diverted while animals let out panicked cries throughout the landscape. Within City X, the once beautifully organized cityscape was crumbling under the strain of these tremors. All the mutants that hid inside to escape the High Evolutionary's attack got out as quickly as possible. Soon the streets of the city and the fields around Asteroid M were filled with petrified mutants holding on for dear life.

"What the hell is going on?"

"One minute something's controlling my body! Now this whole world is falling apart?"

"Where's my mommy? Where's my big brother? Somebody help me!"

"Does anyone have mutant powers that can stop this shit?"

"It can't be stopped! We're all going to die here!"

The cries of thousands of mutants and former humans echoed throughout the crumbling world. Some were lamenting that this was the end. Others prayed for a miracle. The X-men and the Brotherhood did a little of both as they met up in the central plaza outside the rapidly crumbling citadel.

Professor Xavier sent a telepathic signal to Wolverine, Storm, Gambit, Domino, Warpath, Emma Frost, Colossus, and Psylocke as soon as they were out of the citadel. They were still catching their breath from the battle against the High Evolutionary's mind-controlled forces. They had to catch it later as they rushed to meet up with Rogue, Nightcrawler, Mystique, Captain Freeman, and Wanda.

They had teleported into the plaza along with the unconscious Dark Beast. They were then joined by Havok, Polaris, Quicksilver, Blob, Frenzy, Unus, Kid Omega, and Pyro as they emerged through Illyana's portal. Now huddled near a large fountain, the two teams braced themselves.

"Whatever stunt you guys pulled in there, you _really_ overdid it," barked Wolverine.

"That's for sure. What the hell happened to Beast?" asked Emma Frost, "Did the High Evolutionary give him a makeover?"

"What about Isaac? Is he okay?" asked Domino anxiously as she saw Rogue carrying his unmoving body in her arms.

"Does he look okay?" she replied sadly, which confirmed her worse fears.

"Illyana!" exclaimed Colossus upon seeing his sister emerge with the Brotherhood, "How did you get caught up on all this?"

"I could say the same for you too, Warren," said Psylocke, who was equally shocked to see Angel emerge.

"You honestly thought I was going to stay in a hospital bed for this?" replied Angel as he embraced Psylocke through the shaking.

"Everybody was involved," added Illyana as she met up with Colossus, "And by everybody I mean it."

"Who gives a shit who's involved?! This whole fucking world is falling apart around us and you guys are just standing here?" exclaimed Blob.

"I don't know the full story, but I'm pretty sure the X-men are at fault," said Unus.

"No more than you, homme!" said Gambit.

"If we all weren't about to die, I'd beat the living shit out of every one of you for getting me caught up in this," groaned Frenzy.

There was plenty of apprehension. Not everyone knew the full story of what was going on. They just knew that Asteroid M was crumbling before their eyes and they were at ground zero. It didn't make sense to fight each other. Between the tremors and the cries of thousands of mutants, outrage took a backseat to dread.

At this point the starlight that once illuminated Asteroid M had faded and was replaced by a large dome of rock and glass. In addition, the citadel was rapidly crumbling. Large chunks of the top and mid-sections buckled under the strain. The same destruction played out in many other large buildings throughout City X. Between buildings crumbling and the cries of frightened mutants, louder tremors erupted from deep inside Asteroid M. It was like the whole asteroid was about to break apart. It could happen at any moment. The only one who wasn't petrified by this prospect was Charles Xavier.

"I assume you're not panicking because there's a plan, Xavier," said Warpath, who stayed close to Storm.

"There's always a plan, Warpath. But this one is out of our hands," said Xavier.

"Is there anything we can do to help this plan along?" asked Storm anxiously, "What about Cyclops and Phoenix? How come they haven't joined us?"

"We've already done our part. Cyclops and Phoenix are finishing theirs as we speak. All we can do now is brace ourselves and reassure everyone that there is still hope," said Professor Xavier.

"Sounds like a fancy way of saying we're shit outta luck," said Wolverine.

"As if we had much to begin with," said Captain Freeman.

Few took comfort in Professor Xavier's confidence. It looked like he was using his telepathy for something. While the X-men and the Brotherhood processed this growing destruction, a large burst erupted from the crumbling citadel. It was Cyclops and Phoenix. They shot out through the base surrounded in a protective halo of cosmic flames. They met up with everyone in the plaza, looking equally breathless yet somewhat less fearful.

"Damn! You picked a hell of a time to wake the Phoenix Force up, Jeannie," said Wolverine.

"She's not awake, but her fires still burn," said Phoenix, "They came in real handy on our way up. I was able reinforce the main supports within the citadel and the lower levels."

"It got pretty messy down there, but I they should hold long enough or Magneto to finish the rest," said Cyclops.

"And just what the hell is Magneto _finishing_?" asked Quicksilver, whose attention peaked at the mention of his father.

"He's following close behind, isn't it?" asked Polaris anxiously.

Professor Xavier was silent. So were Cyclops and Phoenix. Polaris and Quicksilver weren't present when Magneto made his choice. They didn't have to say a word to know what that choice entailed. Despite the ongoing chaos, Wanda stepped forward. Now earing Magneto's helmet and cape, she delivered the fateful message with which he left her.

"He's doing what he needs to do. He's also trusting that we'll do the same," said Wanda.

"What's that supposed to mean?" cried Polaris.

"I think it means your father is going to save us, Lorna," said Havok as he tried to calm his lover.

"Bullshit! Magneto wouldn't…he couldn't! Not to us! Not like this!" exclaimed Quicksilver.

"Your father made a choice that needed to be made, Pietro," said Xavier, "He's choosing the next generation over his own. As his friends and family, we must honor that choice."

Quicksilver kept shaking his head in disbelief. He refused to believe what he was hearing. If the world wasn't crumbling around him, he would have lashed out at Xavier and the X-men.

Havok and Polaris managed to hold him back. They met up with the rest of the Brotherhood, who were preparing for whatever fateful moment awaited them. The rest of the X-men prepared as well. By now chunks from the dome covering Asteroid M were falling off. The glass the separated them from the vacuum of space was also cracking. It looked like the end was near. Yet through the destruction and terror, Professor Xavier sent out a reassuring telepathic message.

' _Attention to all conscious minds of Asteroid M. Whether you arrived as a human or mutant, there's something you should know. The promises made by the High Evolutionary were false. The new world he offered came at an unspoken price. His vision was a misguided one. However, it's destruction will not be our own. As we speak, Magneto is in the process of saving this world and Earth. So please get out from any enclosed area and take shelter in the most open space you can find. This will all be over soon.'_

* * *

 **Colorado Springs – NORAD**

"I…I don't believe it. Either we're already dead or I'm going crazy," said the same dazed communications officer that first reported Asteroid M's collision course.

"You better not be joking. If so, it's _not_ funny!" yelled the Major, who was trying to maintain control over this operation.

"I'm not laughing, sir. According to our tracking data, it's really happening. Asteroid M is _slowing down_!"

Everything inside NORAD had devolved into a fear-fueled mayhem. In some ways it was safer outside because most of the world didn't know what was happening. The situation with Asteroid M had unfolded so fast and every country in the world was still trying to restore order from the escape pod incident. It was so bad that some soldiers left their posts to contact their families while others simply stared at the oversized in a daze. Now there appeared to be another unexpected turn of events.

President Kelly and General Grimshaw were among those gazing up at the main monitor. It depicted Asteroid M's descent towards Earth. It looked poised to strike within minutes. Now the readings were changing at a rate so fast that their systems couldn't make sense of the data. It seemed to defy the laws of physics.

"Pull your jaws up off the floor, people. We're not extinct yet!" barked President Kelly, "Someone tell me in plain English what the hell is going on here!"

"Uh…we're working on that, Mr. President," said one of the Colonels as he and his subordinates emerged from their daze, "We're getting signals from Russia and Japan as well. They confirm that Asteroid M is slowing down."

"We're trying to triangulate the trajectory as we speak," said a female corporal who was working at one of the terminals, "If these current numbers hold, the impact site will be somewhere in the South Pacific. Most likely somewhere northeast of French Polynesia."

"Can you give me an estimate as to how bad the impact will be? Are we talking once-in-a-millennium sized tsunamis here?" asked President Kelly anxiously.

"That's where logic breaks down, sir," said the corporal, "It doesn't look like Asteroid M is even going to impact at all."

"What are you saying?" asked the President.

"I'm saying…it's _landing_."

President Kelly, General Grimshaw, and everyone else within the control room kept watching the main monitor with bated breath. It seemed impossible, but it was happening before their eyes. Asteroid M had just entered Earth's atmosphere. However, it was decelerating at a rate akin to the space shuttle.

They watched the tracker as it flew over Africa, the Atlantic Ocean, and South America. It was sure to be a spectacle to millions of observers, which also meant that there would be no hiding this from the world. As it settled over the Pacific Ocean, it slowed to such a point that it was practically hovering over a large area of open water.

Then in what was supposed to be the moment of impact became a moment of confusion. There were no readings indicating that wide-spread destruction had been unleashed.

"Is it safe to catch our breath now, sir?" asked the Major.

"I honestly have no idea," said President Kelly as he looked up at the screen in a daze.

"I think I may have a clue," said General Grimshaw.

"Does it begin with the letter X?" asked the President.

"Can you think of any other explanation?"

"No, but I sure as hell would like a better clue than this!"

The world was intact. They had avoided doomsday yet again. Every officer and subordinate tried to regain their composure and provide the answers their Commander-in-Chief sought. Before they could even begin their search, the same communication officer that first detected the catastrophe received yet another ominous message.

"Ooh boy…so much for being able to change my underwear," he groaned.

"What is it this time?" groaned President Kelly.

"It's a transmission," he replied, "Someone hacked our network and patched themselves in. According to the tracker software, it's coming from New York City."

"I thought the whole East Coast was blacked out," said the Major.

"Apparently not," said General Grimshaw, "Put it on speaker. I think we all need to hear this."

The beleaguered communications officer did as he was told, allowing the transmission to link through their encrypted terminal. As it came through, a new image appeared on the main screen. It was Iceman. He was standing on what looked like a rooftop and behind him was a large contingent of familiar mutants that included X-Factor, the District X security team, Jubilee and the Lights, and Muir Island. They looked like they knew what had just happened. It also looked like they had numerous reasons to scold them.

" _Hello, Mr. President. My name is Bobby Drake and I'm speaking on behalf of the X-men. By now you're probably wondering what happened with Asteroid M. My friends and I are prepared to tell you, but I promise you won't like certain details. I also doubt you'll like what this means for the Mutant Monitoring Initiative."_

* * *

 **Pacific Ocean – Asteroid M**

Asteroid M's descent towards Earth proved to be an arduous wait for every man, woman, child, and animal within the massive space station. Upon receiving Professor Xavier's telepathic message, everyone who could walk or fly ran for open areas. Those that had been injured were carried to areas outside City X or within the open plazas. Everything else fell upon Magneto's shoulders.

As Asteroid M entered Earth's atmosphere, the dome covering Asteroid M blew off. Many of the glass and rock fell up and away from the main structure. Those that were bold enough to look up saw familiar blue skies once more, but they were mixed with the ominous flames of an asteroid entering the Earth.

As they entered they could feel the massive structure being guided by a powerful electromagnetic force. That same force created a massive bubble around the structure, which helped to absorb the planetary scale shocks and keep Asteroid M intact. The descent created many disorienting G-forces that caused many to lose their balance and stumble about. Some lost their lunch and vomited.

As the skies grew bluer and the air became less stale, everyone could feel the asteroid slow. At one point it felt as though it was gliding through the air like a plane coming in for a rough landing. When it finally stopped, the protective bubble disappeared and the massive structure settled in the waters of the Pacific Ocean.

The silence that followed the landing was truly deafening. Everyone on Asteroid M could feel a sharp jolt as it hit the waters. The brisk air of ocean winds soon swept through the vast landscape. It created a surreal feeling for everyone on the asteroid. The tremors had stopped. The landscape was now riddled with cracks and fissures, but it remained intact. Many refused to believe that the danger had passed.

As the powerful moment set in, some rose up and looked into the sky. They were overwhelmed to see a sunny sky with few clouds and crisp air. Even the animals that endured the descent seemed taken by this feeling. They had survived.

"We made it!"

"We're alive!"

"We're back on Earth!"

"Is that a good thing?"

"It beats being burned into oblivion!"

Cheers erupted all over Asteroid M. From City X to the vast fields surrounding it, jubilation and relief replaced dread and despair. They left this world with heavy hearts. Now they had returned and it was a welcome if not bittersweet feeling.

As cheers reverberated throughout the former space station, the damage within City X became more apparent. The vast city wasn't completely destroyed, but was still badly damaged. Only half of the citadel remained intact. In the midst of this destruction, the Brotherhood and the X-men found it difficult to share in such relief. While they had survived this crisis, it came at a price.

"Did he do it? Did Magneto really save us all?" asked Polaris in a weak tone.

"We're still alive. So I guess he did," said Quicksilver distantly.

"Do you think there's a chance he survived?" she asked.

"He had to go beyond his limits to pull this off," said Wanda solemnly, "He wouldn't have said goodbye if he expected to live through it."

That harsh realization triggered a wave of anguish for Polaris and her half-siblings. She collapsed in a wave of sobs. Quicksilver was there to catch her while Havok lingered to offer support. Wanda received similar support from Nightcrawler, but she tried to remain strong before the rest of the Brotherhood. Blob, Pyro, Kid Omega, Frenzy, and Unus were also at a loss. However, this loss didn't mean the Brotherhood was no more.

"So is this it? Is this the end of the Brotherhood?" asked Blob.

"No…it isn't," said Wanda strongly.

Her strong tone offered some much needed confidence. Since Magneto passed his cape and helmet onto her, it was now Wanda's responsibility to carry them forward. From the looks of it, she would take to her new role with pride.

Charles Xavier was in a similar position. The look on his face confirmed what Wanda, Quicksilver, and Polaris already knew. Magneto was _gone_. Now that the dust was settling over this arduous affair, it left a surreal feeling for the X-men.

Cyclops, Phoenix, Angel, Storm, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Rogue, Gambit, Psylocke, and Colossus gathered around their mentor. Illyana rejoined her brother along with Warpath, Domino, Mystique, and Emma Frost despite not having been X-men when this began. Rogue was still carrying the body of Isaac while Phoenix kept an eye on the unconscious Dark Beast. Only Captain Freeman kept his distance, having betrayed their trust earlier. They had been divided by the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. Now they had fought together as one team. They had proved to themselves and each other that the world didn't just need the X-men. They needed a _united_ X-men.

"Now can we say it?" said Emma Frost in an exasperated tone.

"Say what, Miss Frost?" asked Colossus.

"That it's finally over," she clarified, "That we can finally go back to when the X-men were completely apolitical."

"There's never any going back, Emma," said Professor Xavier as he addressed his exhausted team of X-men, "We're standing on a new world that is now nestled within the chaos of the old one. Nothing will _ever_ be the same again."

"Does that apply to the Mutant Monitoring Initiative as well, Professor?" asked Cyclops.

"You just _had_ to bring that up. Didn't you, Cyke?" said Wolverine dryly.

"When I say nothing I mean it, my X-men," Xavier went on, "Magneto always understood that his time was short. He fought for both the present and the future. I've only been fighting for the present lately. Well I understand now that I must change. _Everything_ must change."

* * *

 **Up next: Disillusion**


	26. Issue 174: Disillusion

**Issue #174  
Disillusion**

* * *

 _It is a time of great change. Professor Charles Xavier and his X-men have dedicated their lives to fighting for peace and understanding in a world that hates and fears them. That fight has brought them many challenges. Some have been won. Others have been lost. The greatest loses, however, have always ended up being those they inflict upon themselves._

 _Professor Xavier tried to make his X-men better at confronting those challenges by creating the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. It led to a schism within his team, which resulted in the creation of the rogue operation known as X-Force. In their effort to better protect humans and mutants, they ended up making it more dangerous for both._

 _It's what prompted Magneto and the High Evolutionary to create Asteroid M, a new world carved out of an asteroid. In the end this world turned out to be another global crisis, which led to the death of Magneto and Isaac._

 _Now Asteroid M is anchored in the Pacific Ocean. Nearly the entire mutant population resides on this world along with one million humans that the High Evolutionary turned into mutants. This new world promises to complicate the old. However, through these complications the X-men were united once more. This time Professor Xavier intends to cherish that unity._

* * *

 **White House – Oval Office**

Whenever a crisis ended, every passing moment took on greater meaning. Not everyone could appreciate that meaning. For most of the world, the crisis was over once they found out what happened on Asteroid M. They didn't have to endure the prospect of complete annihilation. They had enough problems already. Whereas those problems evoked fear and uncertainty, the crisis with Asteroid M promised greater change.

As President Kelly gazed out the window behind his desk, he pondered all their recent failings. Under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, they were supposed to be equipped for such attacks. Yet in some ways they only made it worse. The more they saw the effects of what they had done, the more apparent it was that the very authorities that sought to protect society bore much of the blame.

World governments, the Pentagon, and the media were scrambling to put their own spin on this crisis. President Kelly didn't need to twist the facts. He already knew the implications so when General Grimshaw entered his office, he was hardly surprised.

"You're late, General," said President Kelly.

"I didn't schedule a meeting, Mr. President," said the General.

"You didn't have to. You always confront me with bitter truths after a crisis. I've come to expect it."

"Well you can take comfort in the knowledge that you won't have that problem anymore," he said, "The only truth I have for you today is my resignation."

President Kelly held his head low. It was not unexpected. After Captain Freeman returned to the Pentagon, he told them about how their secret plan to kill Magneto had backfired. What stung even more was the knowledge that had they succeeded, they would have ended up killing millions. It was one mission for which President Kelly was grateful to have failed.

The General saw it differently, though. He expressed little doubt as he placed a memo detailing his resignation on the President's desk.

"Just so you know, my resignation also includes an order to honorably discharge Captain Jack Freeman," added General Grimshaw.

"You sure he deserves it? For the attitude he's shown and all the toes he's stepped on?" questioned President Kelly.

"He did everything an honorable soldier is supposed to do. He carried out his mission."

"And he never saw fit to adapt that mission, as he's so skilled at doing?"

"With all due respect, Mr. President. That's _our_ job. That means we're the ones that failed," said the General.

"Is that why you're resigning? Because you can't accept failure?"

General Grimshaw's gaze narrowed. Behind his stoic demeanor, he hid a great many frustrations. He had thrust himself into the front line of the human/mutant conflict. He saw it as the next great conflict. He also thought he knew how to deal with it. In that, he was wrong.

"Whoever you get to replace me will probably never be as blunt or as honest as me, so I'll leave you with one last insight," said the General, "We _all_ failed. The whole system failed. And it wasn't because the mission was flawed. It's because _we_ were flawed. The mutants were only half the problem. We were the other side of the same coin without even realizing it."

"It took a near mass extinction event for you to realize this?" quipped President Kelly.

"It goes deeper than that," he argued, "Look at what we've done and how we justified it. As far as I'm concerned, we were no better than the High Evolutionary. We thought that with the X-men by our side, we could work with mutants. We failed to realize that we were never working with them in the first place. We were just trying to control something that we had no hopes of controlling. In doing so, we ended up creating even more problems. Magneto may have built Asteroid M, but _we_ made it necessary."

"So you're saying it's all our fault without offering any solutions?" he said dryly.

"That's why I'm resigning. The sad truth is there _aren't_ any clear solutions. However, there _are_ better ways. And none of them involve being part of a government that is constantly at the mercy of politics."

"You don't have to give me the civil libertarian argument, General. I heard enough of it from Charles Xavier when he dissolved the Mutant Monitoring Initiative."

"As well he should've," said General Grimshaw, "We were only getting in their way."

"That's still going to make a lot of powerful people very upset with them," lamented President Kelly.

"They have enough problems as it stands. There is a new continent floating in the Pacific Ocean. In a world with countries decimated by White Cell and the Legacy Virus, we need security more than they need control. Face it, Mr. President. Neither you nor any other country on this planet is equipped to provide it. In this instance, we could learn a thing or two from the X-men. There's security in heroes and true heroes emerge from the ground up. They're not imposed by bureaucracy."

"I think we need more than heroes at a time like this, General."

"What we need is Charles Xavier's knack for vision, organization, and principle. What we _don't_ need is people like us trying to control something we can never control."

The President frowned at General Grimshaw's reflection in the window. His low tolerance for nonsense was one of his greatest strengths, but it also made him utterly detestable at times. He couldn't argue the merits of his words, nor could he say anything that would change his mind. General Grimshaw had made his decision. He also made it clear that the President of the United States needed to make a decision as well.

Having offered his final insight, General Grimshaw saluted his Commander-in-Chief one last time.

"I'd rather not leave on too sour a note, sir. For what it's worth, it's been a privilege, sir," he said in a respectful tone.

"That's easy for you to say, General. Your valorous record is still intact," said President Kelly, "Mine is still a work-in-progress."

"You're still the President of the United States. You have both the power and the means to find a better way. Asteroid M and the Mutant Monitoring Initiative taught me the true value of humility. I hope you heed those same lessons."

There was a certain subtlety in the General's tone. It sounded like a warning, as if he suspected that President Kelly was inclined to make a poor decision. The Commander-in-Chief offered no reassurance. He just kept staring out his window, making no effort to prevent one of his best generals from walking out the door. Grimshaw showed little regret as the Secret Service escorted him out.

General Grimshaw and the Mutant Monitoring Initiative were gone. Once again, the government he promised to lead was vulnerable. He had to do something, but for once President Robert Kelly was reluctant to be decisive.

His every effort to confront the human/mutant conflict only created more problems. In order to deal with it more effectively, he needed more than just manpower. He needed to think differently. With an exasperated sigh, he turned away from the window and picked up his phone. With it, he made the first of what promised to be many fateful decisions.

"Get me Henry Peter Gyrich," he said into the receiver, "I want him in my office along with every remaining officer from the MSA. We have big plans to make. I have a feeling the next crisis is already in the works."

* * *

 **Asteroid M – Sirius Lake**

"Is this the world we were promised? Is this all we should expect for the sacrifices we've made?" barked an angry voice that reverberated to a large crowd of former humans.

"NO!" yelled the large crowd as they stood by the shores of the lake.

"We were betrayed! Lied to! Used! Humans and mutants alike have rejected us! But we stand in their world a million strong! Imbued with power that is now ours to control! We are beyond human! We are beyond mutant! We are the true future! We are the _Neo_!"

"YEAH! WE ARE THE NEO! WE ARE THE NEO!" the crowds chanted in a show of unity.

It was a scene that had been days in the making. As details emerged from the conflict with the X-men, a great outrage spread through the one million former humans that had left their lives behind for the promise of a new world. That world turned out to be just another prison. They were nothing more than tools. While their ranks included people from various countries and backgrounds, they all shared the same revulsion once they were freed from the High Evolutionary's control.

The voice of their outrage was Vargas. He spent the last several days gathering as many former humans as he could around Lake Sirius. There was still plenty of tension between them and the mutants. It took little convincing to gather over fifteen thousand of them at the lake. There were still thousands more hiding throughout Asteroid M, confused and angry about the lies they had been fed. With their new identity, it wouldn't take long for them to fully unite.

While Vargas absorbed the chants and cheers of these angry masses, the scene was observed from afar by Pietro Maximoff. Through a pair of binoculars, he watched Vargas establish himself as a new leader. It promised to leave Asteroid M a battleground as well as a target by human forces.

"You conniving son-of-a-bitch," mused the speedster, "You just refuse to be the same weakling you were when we found you. Now you're overcompensating and doing way too good a job of it."

* * *

 **Asteroid M – City X**

In the days before the Genosha uprising, the biggest problem most mutants faced was having nowhere to go when the world rejected them. Men like Charles Xavier and Magneto dedicated their lives to give those mutants hope.

Magneto tried to carve out a haven on the shores of Genosha. It failed. Then, the High Evolutionary tried to create one from scratch. It failed too. In each case the mutant race was left more vulnerable than before. Now that Magneto was gone, the onus was on Wanda Maximoff to carve a new haven from the ruins of Asteroid M.

"So how's that helmet and cape treating you?" asked Frenzy in a coarse tone, "It sure doesn't mesh with your style."

"Beat it, Frenzy," said Alex, who was standing next to Wanda with Lorna, "Don't you have some rubble to bury yourself in?"

"Excuse me for voicing concerns about my new home," she quipped dryly, "I think I have a right to be a little crass when Magneto's chosen successor looks like a deer in headlights."

"We're not in space anymore. No one is forcing you to stay," Alex pointed out.

"I'm a wanted fugitive from White Cell who also got caught up in shady dealings with Black Tom. It's either here or prison and I _don't_ do prison."

"And whose fault is that?" quipped Alex.

"It's no one's fault," said Wanda flatly, "Frenzy was caught up in this like the rest of us. She has as much right to stay here as any other mutant."

"I still don't see why that makes her qualified to join the Brotherhood," said Alex.

"We're low on manpower and she's got the strength of fifty. Besides, I think I need the harsh criticism. I can't afford to be arrogant at a time like this."

Frenzy sneered at Alex, who was held back from further remarks thanks to Lorna. She had a legitimate reason to be critical. She had been working with Blob, Unus, Pyro, and Kid Omega for the past few days now. They were part of a large-scale cleaning effort for City X and the rest of Asteroid M. From the crippled citadel, Wanda could see the extent of the devastation. Many buildings had been damaged. Some collapsed. Every mutant took part in the effort, but it wasn't without complications.

During the High Evolutionary's attack, the million former humans did more than drive mutants into hiding. They created an atmosphere of mistrust. Hundreds had been injured during the attack. There were even reports of multiple deaths. That kind of hostility would make it difficult to rebuild. They had already failed on Genosha and Asteroid M was much bigger. They couldn't afford to fail again, especially Magneto's sacrifice.

Wanda had been contemplating plans for Asteroid M all morning. The X-men helped them reestablish order, but they could not stick around. They had their own rebuilding to do. Someone needed to explain to the rest of the world what had happened here. For once the X-men had the easier task. At least they were united again. The same could not be said for Asteroid M.

"Got some big news, sis. Looks like it's worse than we thought," said Pietro in his usual rushed tone as he came running in at high speeds.

"I assume it's bad news because it always is when you come running in like this," said Wanda dryly.

"It has the potential to be pretty fucking bad," said the speedster, "All these pissed off former humans now have a new name. They're calling themselves the Neo and they don't seem interested in cooperating with mutants."

"The Neo? What kind of a name is that?" scoffed Frenzy.

"It's the name their new leader gave them. Remember that asshole, Vargas?"

"Vargas? That guy was once a few levels below your typical junki?! Why the hell would anyone follow _him_?" questioned Alex.

"It's not terribly surprising. He was the first of his kind. He embodies what those 999,999 other humans once struggled with," said Wanda distantly, "The High Evolutionary linked every one of them on a biological level. I wouldn't be surprised if that link runs much deeper now that he's gone."

She turned her attention towards the plaza just below the citadel. The area was set up as a makeshift medical area where Mellencamp, Mercury, Senyaka, and Scanner worked with their healer, Elixir, to treat wounded mutants. There was already a strong sense of animosity. One part of the plaza was reserved for mutants that had been in the crossfire during the High Evolutionary's attack. The other was reserved for the Neo, who had few injured and no reported deaths. Neither group felt comfortable around one another. The Neo already seemed to be leaving City X in droves. It was a clear sign of things to come.

"Before the X-men left, Professor Xavier warned me that growing into an ability was very different from simply gaining it," Wanda went on, "Most mutants like us had to work at mastering our abilities. It helps us use them and appreciate them. But these Neo had everything done for them. The High Evolutionary just gave them their power without contemplating what it could do to them."

"Makes me feel even sicker that we didn't find much of his body," grumbled Pietro, "I would have loved just throwing it out into the ocean and feeding it to the sharks."

"In some ways they were the biggest victims," added Wanda, "They were desperate people who were taken advantage of. They don't know the value of their own power yet. I don't see any of them helping us rebuild City X."

"I heard they may even build a city of their own," said Pietro, "There are a million of them and only a few thousand of us, give or take. Asteroid M is a big place and they're already drawing battle lines."

"Then I guess we'll have to split time between fighting them and the humans that don't like the idea of a new mutant continent," said Alex.

"Continent? I thought we were a country," said Frenzy.

"Genosha was just an island. Asteroid M isn't just bigger. It has its own ecosystem. And unlike Genosha, we won't have the luxury of Warlock technology to help us run it."

"Yet another reason why we should have let the X-men stay just so we could beat them up a bit," said the speedster.

"They also saved our lives in case you've forgotten," Wanda pointed out, "Perhaps it's a good thing that stopping the High Evolutionary also shut down the Warlock technology. We were growing too dependent on it. If mutants are to survive, we must rely on what makes us strong. We must show the Neo and the rest of the world that mutants can stand united. Father would have wanted it that way."

The mention of Magneto evoked a solemn tone in her voice. Pietro and Lorna shared her sorrow. The loss of their father was still sinking in. Even though Wanda wore his helmet and cape, his presence loomed large.

"I like to think that Father trusts us to carry on his legacy…minus the wars and mass extinctions, of course," said Lorna.

"It's not like he left us with nothing to build on," said Alex, "We have a whole continent at our disposal along most of the world's mutant population."

"That alone wouldn't impress, Father. Maintaining it and making it stable for future generations would go _much_ further," said Wanda.

"And you think we can do that with the Neo and the humans breathing down our neck?" said Frenzy.

"We're going to move forward under the assumption that it's possible," said Wanda, "More importantly, we're not going to shut ourselves off. We still have allies that we can lean on for support."

"Are you talking about the X-men?" scoffed Pietro.

"Or more specifically a certain X-man with blue fur, a tail, and an exotic German accent that you seem to find so alluring?" said Lorna with a slight tease.

"I _really_ hope you're being sarcastic, Lorna," groaned Pietro.

"Sarcastic or not, I learned a lot while I was with X-Force. I learned the most from Kurt and not in the way you're probably thinking," said Wanda, her voice shifting again as more emotions overwhelmed her.

"Still makes me sick to the very pit of my stomach," grumbled Pietro.

"Above all, he taught me that having faith in a vision and taking action are two sides of the same coin. You can't rely on one alone. You also can't compromise one for the sake of the other. That was Magneto's greatest mistake. Charles Xavier made that same mistake with the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. Now, we have a chance to learn from it and if this world is going to succeed, we damn well better."

She had a strength in her tone that superseded the emotional strain. It was the kind of strength that commanded respect and leadership. Wanda had been away from the Brotherhood for a while. The influence that Kurt and the X-men had on her was apparent. As a result, she would have to earn the trust of every mutant and Neo on Asteroid M. Perhaps. It seemed daunting, but that was good for her. It would make her work that much harder to honor her father's sacrifice.

"So what's the next step, Wanda? Or should I call you Madam Maximoff now?" asked Frenzy dryly

"The next step is too far ahead to contemplate," she said, "We need to focus on the present right now. That involves cleaning up City X, assembling resources, and establishing relationships with allies."

"I hope those relationships don't involve inviting Nightcrawler to join," muttered Pietro.

"You can rest easy, Pietro. Kurt has some loose ends to resolve with the X-men. But he knows our door is open to him."

"Speak for yourself," he groaned, which earned a scold from Lorna.

"I know it's not going to be popular. I may make myself a target as well. But we can't let old rivalries get in our way anymore. We need to be loved, respected, and feared," Wanda went on, "Xavier and his X-men are strong enough to keep the world in one piece. We need to show that we're strong enough to make our new world a part of it."

"Speaking of which, are we going to keep calling this new world Asteroid M?" asked Alex, "We're not in space anymore. I think if we're going to be viable, we need a name that's not quite as loaded."

Wanda continued to scrutinize the cityscape of this new world. Down below, the Brotherhood just pulled the body the rubble. It was a mutant who had died during the High Evolutionary's attack. It appeared to be the body of a young mutant woman. The grim sight horrified many of the mutants that were getting medical treatment. It also further intensified their mistrust of the Neo, who looked indifferent to this death.

This was the atmosphere in which she would have to lead. It seemed so daunting. Asteroid M had a very morbid ambiance. She tried to imagine Kurt being by her side, lending the support he had given her throughout this whole crisis. She would need it and so much more to succeed in the way their people deserved.

"I've thought of that too, Alex," said Wanda, "This isn't the High Evolutionary's world anymore. It isn't Magneto's either. It's _our_ world. That's why from this day forward I'm calling this new mutant continent Avalon."

"Avalon? Sounds like a Renaissance fair," scoffed Frenzy.

"It's actually a land from mythology. One father told me about while I was a child," she explained, "It was a mythical land that housed King Auther's sword, Excalibur. It was said to be a land that produced everything that was necessary for it's inhabitants to survive."

"Well technically that was true _before_ all our Warlock technology was shut down," Pietro pointed out, "We've still got hardware, but I doubt we can produce everything we need."

"That's not the point, Pietro. Avalon was special because it was a land that was only limited by the people that utilized it. We need to go beyond those limits for our people. Not just for the dangers we know we'll face, but for the dangers that have yet to emerge."

* * *

 **New York City – District X**

Emma Frost had never been afraid to take big risks. It was part of what made her a successful hedge fund manager and a powerful force in the Inner Circle. She took a significant risk in joining X-Force. She compromised her reputation as an educator for aspiring young mutants.

In the end, that risk was necessary. She saw her Academy of Tomorrow become a dumping ground for mutants who had been forced into her school under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. Now that the initiative was no more, the academy could have a fresh start.

Standing within the now vacant streets of District X, Emma saw a decimated mutant community. It was just one of many communities that had been abandoned during Asteroid M. It seemed like an appropriate place for a new beginning. It was also fitting since this had been where so many young mutants had worked together to create the machine that helped neutralize the High Evolutionary. While she watched those same young mutants disassemble the machine, she conversed with the leaders of her school and District X on the future of this community.

"I must give you your dues, Miss Frost. You taught your students well," commented Jamie Madrox.

"Giving her dues without having to wear a G-string? I'm sure that's a first," said Dr. Nemesis coyly.

"You're lucky I'm in a good mood, Nemesis. Otherwise I'd send you to the scrap heap along with this gaudy machine," said Emma, "Although parts of it may make a good monument for the new Academy of Tomorrow."

"So we're really going through with it. We're really rebuilding the school," said Shiro.

"And here in District X, no doubt," said Jamie.

"Is that a problem? Did you have something else in mind for these abandoned streets?" asked Dr. Nemesis.

"You know we can tweak our little deal to include kicking your ass," said Bishop with folded arms, "If Sage weren't babysitting her boyfriend, she would find a way squeeze in some fine print."

"And I may end up supporting it," said Jamie, "What's wrong with the fancy digs you had in Boston?"

"Nothing was wrong with the area. It just seems _tainted_ now," said Emma in a somewhat bitter tone, "The Mutant Monitoring Initiative turned my school into a prison without the bars. That's _not_ what I envisioned and now that so many mutant communities are vacant, the Academy of Tomorrow needs a fresh start. And part of that start involves forging new partnerships."

Emma sounded more optimistic than anyone else. District X was a ghost town within a large city of anxious humans, but it still had plenty to offer. It was the perfect location for a new school. Bishop, Jamie, Shiro, and Dr. Nemesis had mixed feelings about it. The end of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative meant big changes, but if the mood amongst X-Factor and the Lights were any indication there was plenty of reason for hope.

The young mutants were already assisting the private contractors that Emma Frost hired to move their operations from Boston to New York City. Thanks to her deep pockets and connections, she got the ball rolling quickly. X-Factor showed plenty of enthusiasm for a fresh start in New York City. Julian, Roberto, Sam, Tabitha, Noriko, Danielle, Santo, Laura, and Amara were already planning on how they would adjust to their new lives. They did plenty of heavy lifting with the contractors as they moved class equipment and dorm room necessities into a few buildings near the M-Building.

"Please be careful with those!" urged Amara as she watched two contractors carry a couple of statues into the building, "Those are authentic Aphrodite figurines and I'd rather not see them damaged."

"Lighten up, Princess. I'm sure the Big Apple will have plenty of fancy gear for you to enjoy," teased Tabitha.

"Speaking of which, I can't wait to take you on our first date here, Laura," said Julian, who was helping Laura unload some of her gear, "There's this pizza place near Cony Island I think you'll love!"

"I'll take your word for it. I haven't had much chance to enjoy this city whenever I've dropped by," she said.

"Perhaps you can double date with me and Bobby," said Amara, once she was sure her statues were in one piece.

"Assuming he stays," said Tabitha, "I thought he and Kitty went back to Xavier's."

"Only to tie up some loose ends," said Amara, "They'll be back. I certainly know Bobby will return. He and I have tickets to go to Yankees Stadium this weekend."

"I don't care what perks this city has. I am _not_ rooting for the New York freakin' Yankees," said Santo strongly.

"That doesn't mean you have to be so careless with my stuff," said Danielle, who tried to protect some of her stuff.

"Better him than me, Dani. Ah just tried hauling some of Dr. Nemesis's lab equipment to the roof. Ah'm pretty sure Ah'll have detention for the rest of the year once classes get underway," said Sam.

"Is it weird that I'm actually looking forward to it?" said Roberto as he carried a couple of mattresses with help from his solar strength, "After all these upheavals, I'm content to enjoy school in a world without Magneto."

"I'd say it _is_ weird," said Noriko, rolling her eyes, "With Magneto dead, I can see plenty of potential problems. A power vacuum like that isn't usually filled with sunshine and cherry blossoms."

"At least we know X-Factor still has a future," reasoned Roberto, "We may even get some added manpower if these District X guys really go along with us."

"Well, don't expect them to be too enthusiastic," said Noriko, "They're still pretty distraught over Isaac. I imagine it'll be a while before their hearts are up to the task."

No one in X-Factor contested Noriko's assessment. Jubilee and her Lights hadn't been nearly as active in this move since it began. As soon as they heard about Isaac, the harsher aspects of this new reality set in.

For the most part, X-Factor gave the Lights their space. They helped intermittently with the move, but they also had to deal with more morbid details. Jubilee, Teon, Laurie, Kenji, Idie, and Gabriel had been in touch with Father Hansen. He and the X-men were already arranging a memorial service for Isaac. The story of his sacrifice was inspiring. Yet his death was difficult to bear. As the new Academy for Tomorrow took shape, Idie found herself sitting on a stoop with the Lights.

"He would have loved this," she said sadly, "A new school for a new generation of mutants…he would have been excited about preaching God's word to them."

"I'll bet," sighed Gabriel, "The man took preaching to a new level."

"I never considered myself very spiritual, but Isaac found a way to make it meaningful," said Laurie, offering her support to the younger girl.

"I just can't get over that he's really gone," she cried with tears streaming down her face, "He was a tortured soul just like me. There was so much more I had to learn from him."

"From what Father Hansen told us about his unfortunate demise, I think he taught us everything we needed to know," said Kenji.

"I hope you're not just trying to sound artistic because that would just make you an asshole," said Gabriel.

"I believe it is a fair assessment," Kenji argued, "Look around. District X has been vacated. Every mutant community in the world has now set up shop on a new continent. That won't stop new mutants from being born. Those mutants will need a place to come where they can experience a sense of hope. Perhaps that's what Isaac wanted for us…hope. And the best way we can honor his memory is to spread that hope."

It certainly sounded like something Isaac would preach. Idie found herself pondering what was going through Isaac's mind when he went made this sacrifice. Did he know it would come to this? Was he really that willing to give his life for such hope?

"I'll still miss him," said Idie sadly, "I want to honor his memory. I just don't know where to begin."

"We fight! We hope!" said Teon, who nuzzled next to Idie like a loyal guard dog.

"Trust the guy with the super-charged instincts. We're still the Lights, remember?" said Jubilee, raising her sunglasses to show her glowing eyes, "We know how to fight and with this new school, we'll have plenty of opportunities."

"The idea of class and fighting doesn't sound like much of an opportunity," said Laurie.

"That's because we'll have to work at it. Isaac didn't shy away from impossible challenges so why should we?" argued Jubilee, "It's a crazy new world out there. Someone has to spread the good word. We can either whine about it or we can step up."

"Step up! Step up!" barked Teon in a show of support.

Idie managed a slight smile through her sorrow. Jubilee and the others were right. They did have a responsibility now. Isaac taught her and so many others the power of faith. They would need that power as they moved forward in this bold new world.

Their spirits along with many others were wounded, but the end of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative and the construction of a new Academy of Tomorrow gave them plenty to fight for. It was inspiring to see young mutants be part of this, especially for someone like Rahne Sinclair.

She had been with the X-men during their earlier years. X-Factor and the Lights were a lot like the early incarnations of the X-men. Seeing them work during this crisis brought her back in many ways. As she watched them work, she smiled to herself. She then met up with Moira and Sean, who were talking with Emma Frost.

"So ye really managed to flip the land in Boston to set up shop here in New York yet _still_ turn a profit," commented Sean, "Do I even want to know how ye managed that, Emma?"

"Unless you have a PHD in business from Oxford, I doubt you would understand," said Emma proudly.

"Ye must also have some good lawyers too," said Moira, "Sage told me ye managed to keep X-Factor's identities secret. Ye even managed to hide the whole blacking out the East Coast part of our operation."

"I only provided the logistics. Charles Xavier and the Cuckoos did the rest," she said proudly, "As we speak they're also working with our old friends, Morph and Doug Ramsey, to get the word out to young mutants that were left behind. This Academy is available to them and X-Factor will be here to protect them."

"Ye probed my mind again, didn't ye?" teased Moira.

"You were obviously inquiring to the extent of this operation. I assume it's because you want Muir Island to be part of it," shrugged Emma.

"We would be proud to lend our support," said Sean, "Now that new battle lines have been drawn in mutant affairs, Muir Island is gonna need some allies. This new Academy seems like a great place to start."

"Aye," said Moira in agreement, "Forge is already talking about making upgrades to the M-Building. I look forward to helping them."

"So do I," said Rahne as she abruptly entered the conversation, "That's why I've decided to enroll."

Sean and Moira turned towards their adopted daughter in shock. She sounded serious. She hadn't been with the X-men in years. She left when her brother's powers took a turn for the worse. Since his death, she had been at a loss. Now it looked like she was ready to make a difference again.

"Does this mean what I think it means, lass?" asked Sean.

"I said I've decided to enroll. I don't know how much clearer I can be," said Rahne.

"Ye know what he meant, Rahne. Don't make me explain it in front of our new business partners," said Moira in a more serious tone.

"There's nothing to explain. I couldn't save my brother and I've been beating myself up for it long enough," she said in an equally serious tone, "I was once an X-man. I can tell many of these kids have the hearts of true X-men. Since we all agree that the world needs the X-men, this is the best place for me to be."

"Wasn't even gonna argue that, lass," said Sean proudly, "I just wanted you to hear you say it so I can tell you how proud I am."

Rahne smiled and shared a warm hug with her adopted parents. They clearly supported her decision. This seemed like the best time to make it. The world was going to be undoubtedly more complicated. Rahne was ready to be part of it and so was Muir Island.

"Well, I'd say that's a good sign," commented Shiro, "We're not even done moving in and we already have a new recruit."

"That's not the only good sign," commented Dr. Nemesis.

"You're not going to find a way to belittle our new associates, are you? Because if so, let me know so I can burn your vocal chords," said Shrio only half-jokingly.

"I won't tempt you and just direct your attention to the alley behind. I'll let my observations speak for themselves," he replied.

While he wasn't usually prone to following Dr. Nemesis's requests, Shiro did so anyways. Standing in the alley adjacent to the M-Building was Jean Grey. He was caught a bit off guard, but her warm smile helped set him at ease. While Emma and their District X associates worked out the details with Rahne, he made his way over towards Jean.

"Jean…this is an unexpected yet pleasant surprise," said Shiro.

"Well, since Warpath stopped by before running off with Ororo, I thought I would do the same," she said, "I wanted to lay a few things to rest before I did some running off of my own with Scott."

"Ah, so I take it that means you're back together again?" he said in a mixed tone.

"If only it were _that_ simple," she sighed, "We definitely need to work out a few major details. We're either taking the next step in our relationship or we'll let it fall apart. I think you know which one I'm working towards."

"I have my suspicions," he told her, "Is that all you wanted to tell me."

"If it was, that would just be cruel and you know that's not my style," she said with a light-hearted grin.

To further make her point, she gave Shiro a warm hug. Once again, he was pleasantly surprised. Jean felt much stronger than he remembered. It was almost as if she had that fire back in her spirit.

"I just had to thank you, Shiro," she told him, "While I was on Asteroid M, I had to put your advice into practice during a life-or-death situation. In the process, I discovered a number of things…the least of which involves cosmic fires."

"Yes, I heard about that," he said with a friendly grin, "You definitely have that _flare_ in your eyes again."

"Among other things," she quipped, "Another part of that advice involves taking care of the little things before moving forward. I understand you have your hands full here with the new academy. There are still a lot of loose ends to tie up with Professor Xavier back in Washington as well. However, I need to handle my own affairs first."

"I hope it won't be awkward if I come up during your conversations," said Shiro, "I don't want Cyclops to think it became too _heated_ between us."

"No need to worry. We have an _extensive_ list of things to go over and that's not even in the top ten," she said as her tone became more serious, "This whole affair goes beyond the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. It's going to affect us in ways we can't imagine or control. But like you once told me, we still can make choices and I'm ready to start making the right ones, no matter how hard they may be. As a man of many passions, I just wanted you to know that."

"Then as far as I'm concerned, you're as strong as any cosmic flame, Jean Grey."

Jean and Shiro shared another friendly smile. Between them and the new Academy of Tomorrow, everybody was in a position to make difficult choices. The effects of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative and Asteroid M were still settling in. While there was plenty of hope, there was still no telling what sort of aftermath they could expect.

* * *

 **Xavier Institute – Infirmary**

"Hnn…Dark Beast," grumbled a dazed and exhausted Hank McCoy.

"Shhh…the nightmare is over, Henry. Dark Beast is gone," said a gentle voice.

Hank finally opened his eyes after what felt like a hangover laced with insomnia. As soon as his vision cleared, he saw the loving face of Sage. She was sitting by his bedside, her emotions turned on and her concern for him apparent in her voice. He quickly surmised that he was in the infirmary.

He was lying in a bed with various medical equipment hooked up to his body. It looked like she went all out to treat him, tapping the Institute's reserve of Shi'ar tech in the process. However, no amount of treatment could heal the scars that the High Evolutionary had inflicted.

"Sage…if Shakespeare himself wrote a sonnet to express my relief, it still wouldn't be enough," he told her.

"I wouldn't expect it to be," she said solemnly, "This whole affair went wrong in so many ways. I took part in X-Force's deception. I helped tear up a good portion of District X to make it work."

"I'm glad you did," he said, "I saw the horrors the High Evolutionary was prepared to unleash. No words or science could ever adequately describe it."

He sounded traumatized. As he looked up at her, Sage could sense that he had been aware of what he had done. The creature he became was the embodiment of everything he hated about his feral side. Sage did her best to console her lover while tending to his treatment.

"There's no need for descriptions, my love. That horror is gone," said Sage strongly, "When Xavier and Jean returned, they put psychic blocks on your mind to keep you unconscious. Then I came over from District X as fast as I could. I worked with Dr. Rao at SWORD to undo what the High Evolutionary did to you."

"Did…did you undo everything?" he asked anxiously.

"You're back to your old self, aren't you?" she said as she affectionately ran her hand through the fur on his face, "The special blend of MGH had different effects from the blend Jubilee and her Lights experienced. This one latched onto your X-gene and overwrote your nervous system. As I'm sure you already know, the process had some pretty unpleasant side-effects. It was not unlike your past experience with the Cambrian."

"This was _very_ different by comparison," said Hank, his voice still shaky, "The Cambrian merely tweaked my X-gene. The High Evolutionary tweaked my entire psyche. It felt like he planted a poisonous seed within my brain. I'm not even sure it's completely gone."

"It _is_ gone," Sage assured him, "Dr. Rao and I filtered your blood to remove all remaining traces of MGH from your system. We also tweaked Shi'ar cellular regeneration technology to neutralize the changes in your nervous system."

"Your choice of words leads me to believe that you didn't remove it."

"There was nothing to remove. It's gone, Hank. You're better now. You'll be back on your feet by the end of the day. In the meantime I can tell you all about the big changes that are underway. We're building a new Academy of Tomorrow in District X. Professor Xavier is ending the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. You're going to be fine. We're going to move forward and we're going to be stronger."

Sage spoke as though she was trying to convince herself almost as much as Hank. She rarely spoke with this kind of emotion. The way she gripped his hand and the way she talked about the future sounded so promising. He could tell she wanted him to help her build that future. It sounded so daunting with the nightmare he just experienced still fresh in his mind. However, her desperate gaze allowed him the strength to rise up from his bed and embrace her.

"You're right," he told her, "We will move forward."

"I love you, Hank," said Sage.

"I love you too."

They continued their warm embrace. For a moment, it seemed the trauma had melted away. Then as he looked across the lab, he saw his reflection in a computer monitor. In his reflection he saw his current state. Physically, he looked fine. Mentally, he was frail and vulnerable. In that moment of vulnerability he saw his reflection change.

He saw the image of the Dark Beast again. This twisted creature snarled at him from within, offering an ominous message about this promising future of which Sage spoke.

' _So much rage…so much primal fury. Admit it. You liked it. You liked it more than even your intellect could ever rationalize. Go on. Wake up and try to pretend that it didn't happen. We both know the truth. Nothing will EVER be the same.'_

* * *

 **Savage Land**

Love was only as strong as its greatest obstacle. Scott and Jean endured more than their share over the course of their relationship. They thought they had overcome enough to prove that their love could endure any hardship. They were wrong. Despite surviving mutation, death, and the Phoenix Force, they discovered that their relationship couldn't survive on love alone. It needed something more and to find it, they found themselves back where their love first blossomed.

The Savage Land hadn't changed much since the fateful mission that brought them together. It was still a dangerous, inhospitable Jurassic jungle. It was a place where politics, missions, and codenames didn't matter. Everything was basic here and that's exactly what Scott and Jean needed.

So with help from Illyana Rasputin, they teleported to the same site where the Brotherhood's Warlock pod once resided. Unlike before, they came to the Savage Land more equipped. They brought camping gear, supplies, and a clear plan to get home. Even though there was plenty of upheaval going on with the X-men, Scott and Jean agreed that they needed to clear the air between them.

They wasted little time in enjoying the privacy the Savage Land had to offer. As soon as they set up camp and established a perimeter, they cuddled up in their tent for some long overdue lovemaking. Extended periods of forced celibacy made it quite extensive, so much so that some of the surrounding wildlife took notice.

They didn't care, though. They needed it. After doing plenty of catching up, the two lovers drained themselves. Despite so much exhausting passion, Scott remained restless. While Jean nodded off for a bit, he sat at the edge of his sleeping bag and gazed out the tent into the wilderness.

"Hmm…still be awake, Scott?" she said with a yawn, "Did I not wear you out?"

"You wore me out plenty, Jean," he said distantly, "I'm pretty sure we've set new standards for makeup sex."

"Then why do I sense your mind going in a million different directions?"

"Well for one, it shows our link is in working order again."

"I'm being serious, Scott," said Jean, "The whole point of this trip is to get back to basics. It's the only way we can know if our relationship can take the next step."

"That's exactly why I'm still awake. I keep contemplating that step. I _want_ to take it, but recent events have filled me with a lot of doubts."

Scott held his head low as he sat in a conflicted state. Despite being exhausted by so much lovemaking, Jean rose up and snaked her arms around her lover. They were both still naked, adhering to a clothing optional policy during their tripp. She allowed her warm flesh to sooth her lover's spirit.

"You don't need to sound so ashamed, Scott," she told him, "I think everybody has struggled with more doubt than usual lately."

"Except I'm not used to this kind of doubt. I could never afford the luxury of doubt. Not when I'm the leader of a team," said Scott solemnly.

"You know some might call that arrogance. Others might call it confidence," Jean pointed out, "You always walked a fine line and it proved you right in the end."

"How was I right? I broke up the X-men…and broke your heart."

"If you broke my heart, we wouldn't be here, butt naked in this tent, Scott Summers," she teased, "I'm also inclined to remind you that Professor Xavier dissolved the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. You told him from the beginning that he couldn't control it. White Cell and the High Evolutionary proved that."

"Be that as it may, there's a reason I never said I told you," said Scott, still holding his head low, "It's the same reason why I'm not sure if we can take that next step."

Jean had never heard him express this kind of doubt before. Scott had always been so focused and disciplined, almost to the point of arrogance. He always questioned methods, but he rarely questioned the mission. Whether it was the X-men or their love, he never scrutinized the details. Now, they couldn't avoid such scrutiny.

"It started with White Cell," he went on, "Even though we stopped Romulus, he demonstrated that we can lose control in an instant. Professor Xavier understood that. The more I think about it, the less I blame him. We need at least the illusion of control in order to function. Just look at what we can do, Jean. We _are_ dangerous. We _are_ a threat to ourselves and everyone around us."

"Anyone can be dangerous to everyone," she retorted, "Some of us just have to work harder than others to stay in control."

"That's what leads me back to us, Jean. I love you and you love me. I can't imagine being with anyone other than you for the rest of my life, even if there are plenty of forces pulling us apart."

"Are you going to bring up Shiro?" she asked warily, "Scott, I already told you the truth. What we had was no more serious than when Emma offered to sleep with you at that bath house. Only _much_ less lurid."

"I believe you, Jean. And therein lies the hard truth. We're past the phase in a relationship where we try to impress one another. We were friends before we started having makeup sex in a jungle. We know how to live together. We know all the ways in which we're annoying or boring. We've saved each other so often that we have nothing to prove to one another. More than anything else, being apart proved that our love will _always_ be vulnerable no matter how strong it is. If our relationship is going to be more, I don't want there to be any doubt."

They were the sincere words of a man allowing himself to be vulnerable on a level few could ever be comfortable with. Scott clung to Jean just as much as she clung to him. He had the will and desire to be with her, but it went beyond love. It was about truly being together in a way that went beyond doubt. Scott had been unable to escape such doubt since the White Cell affair. While he showed he was strong enough to trick the High Evolutionary, his spirit was still wounded.

Jean still never let go of him. Despite having gone through her share of upheavals, her aura of passion still burned with the same intensity as any cosmic flame. As she sensed these difficult thoughts course through his mind, she gently cupped his chin and turned his head so that his gaze could match hers.

"Scott…I think you're not seeing the big picture. And for once it isn't because of your glasses," she told him.

"Well, what are you seeing that I'm not?" Scott asked her, almost sounding desperate.

"It's not what I'm seeing. It's what we both understand at this point in our lives. You say being apart proved that we're vulnerable, but it also proved something else. We _can_ function without one another. We can be X-men. We can live our lives and do our jobs without drowning in sorrow."

"How is that supposed to ease any doubts?" he questioned.

"Bear with me, babe. You remember how we felt after the Phoenix Force brought us back to life? How I had a cosmic power coursing through my being and you shared that experience every step of the way?"

"Of course," Scott affirmed, "That's not an experience anyone can forget, Jean."

"Well, that's _exactly_ why we needed a harsh lesson," she said, "When I lost that connection to the Phoenix Force, that overwhelming experience wasn't so overwhelming anymore. We fell into the trap of every sappy love song ever written, thinking that cosmic forces had ordained our love as stronger than anything in the universe. That's just not how it works in the real world. We can't be together fully if we depend one each other completely."

"Sounds like a paradox. I'll bet even Hank couldn't wrap his head around that."

"Yet we both know it's true. Now that I have my cosmic power back, I can put it into context," she said, showing off some cosmic flares to reinforce her point, "According to the Professor, I have a fraction of what the Phoenix Force was capable of. But unlike before, there's no presence or consciousness to go along with it. It's like the Phoenix Force left a piece of her inside me and I just had to awaken it. This cosmic power is completely my own. That means it's only as strong as I can make it. And I think that's similar to where we are right now. Even though we can live our lives separately, we're better when we're _together_."

"I think all our friends would agree with that sentiment. I agree with it too. There are just so many things we can't control. I just don't know how we can work around that."

"Now you're just being dense, Scott. We don't need to work around doubt. We need to _accept_ it," said Jean as she tenderly caressed the side of her lover's face, "We'll never be completely certain of what the future may bring. That's why we fight to survive."

"So does that make me weak?"

"You're not weak, Scott Summers. Far from it. But part of taking that next step is remembering that it's not enough to fight for survival or even love. To truly move forward, we need the very antithesis of doubt."

"And what might that be?" he asked intently.

"Hope."

It was a simple, yet elegant notion. Hope, a concept that had been lost in the bitter divide between the X-men and X-Force, was one of the few ideals for which there was no doubt. Many had forgotten it, tet its importance was never more apparent.

As Scott gazed into the eyes of his lover, the concept sank in. The crippling doubt that had rendered him so lost seemed less daunting. The hope in Jean Grey's eyes didn't just counter those doubts. It rendered them trivial. In that moment, their love took on new meaning. As he continued to gaze into Jean's eyes, they came together in a deep kiss.

"Hope," he said distantly.

"Mmm…those aren't doubts I'm sensing," said Jean with a soft purr.

"Far as I'm concerned, doubt just became a moot point," said Scott in a newly impassioned tone, "We're alone, in the jungle, in love, and full of hope. What's the best possible way to embrace it?"

"Oh I can think of a few!"

Their minds and spirits blew wide open. Doubt gave way to hope as they curled back up into their sleeping back. The various echoes of the unforgiving Savage Land were soon awash with cries of passion. The relationship between Scott and Jean came very close to falling apart. Now, a future of hope ensured that they would be one in the same moving forward.

* * *

 **Yosemite National Park**

"Thanks for taking me here, Ororo," said James Proudstar with a content sigh, "You were right. I needed this."

"We both did," she said with a smile, "Never mind that I had to practically drag you away from District X."

"As far as I'm concerned, you can drag me as much as you want from now on."

It was unusual for James to be at peace. The world almost came to an end recently. The Academy of Tomorrow was being relocated and District X was in ruin just like every other mutant community in the world. Under normal circumstances he would be back with Emma Frost and Lucas Bishop, helping to carve out a new beginning within a world that Asteroid M rendered so complicated. His current circumstances weren't normal, though. Ororo Munroe had that effect on people and on nature itself.

Before the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, he and Ororo were growing closer. It seemed like only a matter of time before they became something serious. Then the divide between the X-men and X-Force set in. The emotions between them had to be put on hold while they fought their respective battles.

During those battles, however, those emotions were heightened. They festered and grew, even as their respective teams opposed one another. Now that conflict had ended and several new conflicts emerged as a result. Before they confronted any of them, they needed to confront this.

Now, James found himself on a picturesque perch in Yosemite National Park. The sun was setting in the distance as he and Ororo sat on ledge overlooking the vast landscape below. Brisk winds swept across the rocky terrain. Some of it may be the result of Ororo's heightened emotions. Those emotions were at the core of so many issues.

"James…I know this is as awkward for you as it is for me," said Ororo.

"That's putting it mildly. I've been searching for the right words since you showed up. I barely got past hello," said James as he held his head low.

"Then let's try the blunt approach," she suggested in a more serious tone, "We have something, James. You and I both felt it before the Mutant Monitoring Initiative got in the way. Well it's not in the way anymore and that something is still there."

"I don't think that's blunt enough, Ororo. It isn't just _there_. It's more complex than it was before."

"In a bad way?" Ororo asked.

"Not necessarily," he replied, "It's never bad when you feel so strongly for someone that mere memories of them make you feel weak in the knees. And for a guy who can use his knees to shatter concrete, that's saying something. What makes it complex is how much the initiative changed everything and not just because it got in the way."

James swallowed his wounded dignity and faced the beautiful African woman next to him. He took her hand in his and lightly squeezed it. Only Ororo Munroe could make his grip feel so weak.

"Since we got back from Asteroid M, I've been doing a thought experiment of sorts," said the Native American, "I imagined what would've happened if the Mutant Monitoring Initiative wasn't in the way. We probably would have gotten closer. We would have hooked up, gone on a few dates, and maybe even shared a few nights in bed together where we tapped a very different force of nature."

"That's a bold assumption, appealing as it may be," said Ororo with a humored grin.

"It still would have been standard. We would be going through the motions, just as I've done with previous women. Just as you've done with other men, although I imagine you were more mature about it."

"That's not as bold an assumption, but I don't disagree thus far."

"It may have turned into something special. Or it may have just fizzled like so many other flings. That's why I think it was a good thing that something came between us. Now before you slap me, let me make this unpleasant admission…I've never been an easy man to love. Before he died, John often warned me that I would end up alone because of my attitude. He was probably right because I didn't understand love. I don't think I've really known love because you can only appreciate it when you care about something more than you care about yourself."

There was a bitterness in James's tone. Ororo could tell he despised the man he once was. He had to stop for a moment to process all the self-loathing, but he was determined to finish this and with the heart of an Apache warrior he continued.

"I'm a slow learner, Ororo," James said to her, "When Emma Frost recruited me, it took a while to care about what I was doing. Getting to know you forced me to learn faster and being in X-Force gave me the time to do that."

"And what did you learn in that time?" she asked intently.

"Probably the same lesson you did," he replied, "That I cared about you in a way that defied nature. I didn't just fall in love with a beautiful woman. I'm willing to make myself vulnerable to another person. I trust you to be that person. And I guess…I needed some time and space to figure that out."

His every word was genuine. For all the heartache that being on different teams caused, James was able to rationalize it in a meaningful way. Ororo found herself smiling as she did the same thought experiment in her own head. It made too much sense to dismiss. It led Ororo to embrace this man in a way that kicked some fresh winds.

"You're right, James. We both needed this," she said, "I've loved others before, but I've never made myself vulnerable. I think part of being strong in this new world is allowing ourselves to be _that_ vulnerable."

"Sounds like one of those forest from the trees notion that I've never been good at grasping," said James, smiling within her embrace.

"Then I guess it helps that I'm connected to nature. There's power in the winds, but it's easy to upset. I allow nature to guide so much of my life, but when it comes to love I keep trying to follow a formula. I think I can control what I'm experiencing and as the High Evolutionary proved, such control is merely illusion."

"So where does that leave us?" questioned James.

"I think we both already know the answer to that," she said in a deeper tone, "If you feel love for me and I feel love for you, then there's no point in controlling it. Our own nature is drawing us together. And I think it's about time we listen."

More winds swirled around them, forming a miniature cyclone that seemed to follow the powerful emotions of the moment. The emotions led them into a deeper embrace, finally culminating with a kiss. For the first time, it felt right. There was no attempt to control it. They just embraced it as passionately as they embraced each other.

James Proudstar was once a wounded spirit and Ororo Munroe was once an uncontrolled force of nature. Now as they faced a new world with an ever-growing list of conflicts, their spirits were humbled. By making themselves vulnerable to each other, they would make themselves stronger to the world.

* * *

 **Denver, Colorado – Worthington Industries Medical Research Center**

"Hold still, luv. This is the last one," said a conflicted Betsy Braddock as she helped administer a series of injections into Warren's back.

"You don't seem too bothered," commented Warren through another wince, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you enjoy sticking me with this latest round of treatment."

"I'm not a masochist, Warren. I'm just pissed off at you. I can't help it if I care too damn much when you take these ridiculous risks."

Warren winced again, but it wasn't because of the needle Betsy stuck in his back. His health was still in a state of flux. The blast he took from Cyclops agitated the condition with his techno-organic wings. Throwing himself into the Asteroid M conflict when he was clearly not in a condition to fight only made it worse.

He was in so much discomfort that he sought out treatment the moment they left Asteroid M. He expected Betsy to stay with the X-men and help them clear things up back in Washington. She defied those expectations, leading to an emotional yet awkward moment.

Betsy hadn't forgotten the conversation she had with Warren's father recently. It kept her from yelling at him the moment she arrived at the medical center. She promised herself that she would be more reasonable this time. She stayed by Warren's side as his doctors did some tests. When one of them explained that they needed to perform a series of injections to stabilize the techno-organic material in his body, she volunteered to carry it out. She even convinced the doctors to give them some privacy. It allowed them some time to clear the air between them.

"So how much are you going to make me apologize?" asked Warren as he sat atop an observation table.

"That depends. What exactly do you have to be sorry for?" she retorted as she threw away the syringe.

"I don't know. I almost got myself killed. I pretty much cut you off during the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. I even bankrolled X-Force while they actively opposed the X-men," he pointed out.

"Do you regret doing any of that?"

"Only the part about cutting you off," he said, "But I understand why you may resent me for everything else. I'll apologize because it _does_ bother me when I upset you."

He really emphasized his sentiment. Despite the nausea caused by the treatments, he didn't avoid her gaze. He saw many conflicting emotions in her eyes. She was clearly angry with him, but she deeply cared about him as well. His latest stunt brought many of these emotions to a head and they were both determined to confront them.

"Warren…I don't want you to apologize," said Betsy said in a sincere tone, "You did what you thought was right. That's nothing to be sorry for."

"I still hurt you. I hurt _us_. I completely undermined the possibility of there being an _us_ ," said Warren in a desperate sounding tone.

"And in doing, so you've exposed just how important the idea of _us_ truly is," she retorted, "When we first hooked up at that club, it was simple chemistry. When you nearly killed yourself with that failed legacy cure and the subsequent treatments that followed that chemistry got a lot more volatile."

"So what does defying doctor's orders and taking part in an attack on Asteroid M do to that chemistry?" he asked her.

"That's not what I've been dwelling on. What's kept me so moody over the past few days is everything that happened in between. Like you said, we had to shut each other out. We couldn't explore that chemistry. It could have faded. We could've forgotten about it completely. But that didn't happen. The chemistry is still there and it's stronger now that I've had time to think about it."

Betsy's emotional tone was met with an emotional gesture. She embraced him, running her hand over his techno-organic wings in the process. As she trailed along the feathery structures, she passed over some marks in his skin that bore the slight discoloration that his father pointed out earlier. That subtle aspect to his condition helped flesh out the emotions that they had both been struggling with.

"We both come from a world of privilege," she went on, "I'm the daughter of an accomplished cop in the body of an accomplished assassin. You're a rich man with wings. Yet despite all our privileges, we keep getting harsh reminders of just how fragile we are. Around others, we do a damn good job of hiding it. But around each other, we're utterly pitiful."

"Is that a bad thing?" Warren questioned.

"For a while, I thought it was. You have to understand I'm a woman of the law. I honestly believed that laws like the Mutant Monitoring Initiative would protect us from being fragile. But you can't legislate emotion any more than you can cure weakness. We can try, but we'll continue to frustrate the hell out of each other."

"So how do we spare ourselves that frustration moving forward?"

Betsy paused for a moment. She trailed her hands from his wings to his face. He still looked so handsome despite being pale and scratched up from recent battles. Through those scars, she saw beyond the handsome face behind the Worthington fortune. She saw a man for which she had very strong feelings.

"We can start by not lying to ourselves anymore. That night in the club was the ideal Elizabeth Braddock and Warren Worthington III. Since then, we've seen our less-than-ideal sides. And for reasons that simply defy logic, that chemistry has grown."

"I wouldn't mind letting it grow even more," said Warren, "That's why I'm so determined to apologize."

"If that's how you feel, then you don't have to," she said, "I care about you, Warren. I want to keep caring about you in ways that don't involve shutting each other out. I'm willing to accept that you'll take some crazy chances so that you can continue being the angel you've set out to be. But only if you're willing to accept that someone loves you enough to be upset with you when you take those chances."

"Seeing as how everyone else in my life has only been angry with me for all the wrong reasons, I think that's a reasonable request."

Betsy smiled warmly and Warren smiled back. The side-effect from his treatments seemed to melt away as they shared a rare moment of emotional honesty. Neither one of them was used to being vulnerable. It was the most honest emotion they had ever felt. Following that emotion, Betsy and Warren met in a deep kiss. There was nothing keeping them apart anymore. Now they were free explore this chemistry and all the emotions that came with it.

* * *

 **Washington DC – Xavier Institute**

"Pick up the pace, people!" barked an impatient Abigail Brand, "By order of the President, every last government hard drive and complimentary pen has to be cleared out within three hours!"

"Yeesh, and you guys say _I'm_ demanding," commented Logan.

"I'd say you've officially met your match, Logan," said Piotr.

The scene outside the Xavier Institute evoked a wide range of emotions. There was an overall sense of relief for Logan, Bobby, Kitty, and Piotr. There was more uncertainty for others like Sage, Mystique, Kurt, and Remy. That uncertainty was mixed with sorrow for Rogue and Domino, who were still reeling from the death of Isaac. Yet none were more affected than Professor Charles Xavier.

' _Demanding is too easy a term. Everyone is relieved that I ended the Mutant Monitoring Initiative. No one has thought too hard about the unintended consequences that are sure to follow. Whatever those consequences may be, I've no one to blame but myself.'_

Within hours of returning from Asteroid M, the Professor met with some lawyers and effectively ended Mutant Monitoring Initiative. Shortly after, a massive shift in human/mutant policy followed.

President Kelly ordered all clearances and access to government resources be cut off from the X-men. MSA operations all over the world were put on hold and absorbed by national armies, many of which were low on manpower due to the White Cell attack. While the Xavier Institute would remain in Washington DC, it would have to undergo a serious overhaul. At the rate Agent Brand was removing hardware from the upper and lower levels, they would have to rebuild X-men operations from scratch.

It was a daunting notion, but one Charles Xavier was comfortable accepting. He stood with his X-men on the front lawn, allowing Agent Brand and her SWORD affiliates to load up unmarked trucks with various components from throughout the institute. They worked fast, appearing all too eager to leave this place. Professor Xavier saw it as a sign of greater complications to come.

"You made this decision fairly quickly, Charles," commented Sage, "Even Hank was surprised when I told him you ended the Mutant Monitoring Initiative with such fortitude."

"I'm sure he's going to miss all these fancy toys that SWORD let him play with," commented Bobby.

"He'll get over it. Besides, that shit came with too many strings attached," shrugged Logan, who was smoking a cigar.

"A fact I remember you and Scott warning me about from the beginning," said the Professor distantly.

"Then I guess it's a good thing he and Jean ran off for a little relationship counseling/make-up sex," said Kitty, "Otherwise he would be rubbing it in your face."

"As if Logan hasn't picked up the slack," said Mystique.

"All the more reason to dissolve the initiative as quickly as possible," reasoned the Professor, "I couldn't allow these complications to corrupt my X-men any further."

"It's a good thing you were smart enough to squeeze in an opt-out clause," commented Kitty, "I imagine you made plenty of enemies by using it."

"That's one of many concerns I'm struggling with at the moment," he sighed, "My initiative had the best of intentions. I truly believed that working within the system would alleviate conflict. Even the greatest psychic couldn't foresee how politicians and bureaucrats would corrupt our mission."

"Even if it seems pretty damn obvious," commented Logan.

"I hope you're not gloating, comrade. If I recall, X-Force had their share of troubles as well," Piotr pointed out.

"Yeah, but at least we avoided politicians," shrugged the former living weapon.

"Albeit indirectly," Xavier added, "Both teams played a dangerous balancing act. We went behind each other's back. We didn't just oppose one another. We limited our capabilities when new threats required that we adapt. It was only going to get worse because an imperfect legal system can never adapt fast enough to an imperfect world."

"If it was causing that many problems, then why do you sound so torn up about ending the initiative?" asked Sage.

"Indeed. The idea was not unsound," said Piotr, "There may still be a place for mutants in the government."

"The merits of the initiative don't bother me as much as the intent of the initiative. This is where I didn't just fail my X-men. I _abandoned_ them," he said in a more serious tone, "I allowed myself to be too arrogant. I thought regaining the use of my legs would make me stronger. I never could have done something so brash if I were still in a wheelchair."

"That doesn't mean there were better alternatives, Professor," said Bobby.

"Even if there weren't, I should have seen it. I shouldn't need a wheelchair to remind me that I'm still prone to human error. Such arrogance nearly cost me my team. In the end, it cost me a good friend."

"Make that two," said Rogue in a morose tone, who was standing off to the side and smoking a cigarette with Remy.

"How about three?" added Domino, who was standing next to her.

Professor Xavier shifted under such self-deprecation. Piotr, Bobby, and Kitty offered to reassure him. He only partially accepted it. The sight of his institute being purged and cluttered almost seemed appropriate. It was another instance of being humbled, as if the deaths of Magneto and Isaac weren't enough. He made sure to fully absorb the feeling. It would help ensure that his plans for the future were more successful.

"We don't just need reform. We need to rebuild the X-men on every level," said Professor Xavier, "We can't just be a school anymore. We can't just be vigilantes either. We need to be the ideal…a standard for which mutants of future generations can aspire."

"So what will we end up being?" asked Bobby intently.

"That's kind of why we're here and not in District X helping with the new academy," said Kitty, "We figured that the end of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative meant we could rejoin the X-men."

"Why? Were the minor leagues _that_ bad with X-Factor?" asked Logan.

"I wouldn't say they were bad. I admit having my girlfriend in the team helped," Bobby conceded, "But we're X-men. That's what we trained to be. That's where we belong."

"Which is exactly why Emma Frost and I agree that you should stay with the Academy of Tomorrow," said Professor Xavier.

"What?!" exclaimed Kitty, "Do I have to print out and repeat what Bobby just said?"

"It's not for the reason you think, Kitty. It has more to do with my own vision rather than your ability as X-men. At the moment, I don't know how the X-men will operate in this new world. For once, there's no clear plan. White Cell and Asteroid M completely changed the human/mutant dynamic."

"So you're cutting us out of the loop?" said Bobby, who shared Kitty's sentiment.

"Speak for yourself. At least you can go back to your hot nudist girlfriend!" spat Kitty.

"That's not fair, Katya," said Piotr as he tried to restrain his lover.

"I understand and appreciate your sentiment, but we need to think long term," said Professor Xavier, who maintained a reasonable tone, "Unlike the others, you're both still young. You still need to complete your education. You must also consider the wishes of your parents. As I'm sure you know, they still worry about you."

"My mom called and chewed your ear off for an hour, didn't she?" muttered Kitty.

"I hate to think what my dad said," muttered Bobby.

The Professor fell silent, which essentially confirmed their suspicions. Thankfully, Sage stepped in to offer a different perspective.

"Don't think class is all you have to look forward to. There are other reasons why most of us feel you should stay at the Academy of Tomorrow," said Sage.

"Did Hank convince you they're better off without us or something?" muttered Bobby.

"Actually, he convinced me that X-Factor would benefit from having two trained X-men at the school," said Sage, "Now that District X is working with the Academy, we're making ourselves a much bigger target. We need to make sure that new mutants have to decide whether to move to Asteroid M or live their lives in a world of hate and fear. Having two X-men on board would certainly help."

When put in that context, it seemed more appealing. Bobby and Kitty had already established themselves at the Academy of Tomorrow. They served as unwitting mentors to many young mutants, especially those in X-Factor. They proved with the Asteroid M affair that they could accomplish great things. It wasn't quite like the X-men, but it was something to build on.

Professor Xavier allowed Bobby and Kitty to fume a bit more. Despite their reluctance, they didn't contest his decision any further. It was a difficult time for the X-men and not just because they no longer had government support. The very purpose of the X-men was now in question. While the team was united once again, the path before them was mired in uncertainty.

"I'm confident that the two of you will serve X-Factor well," the Professor told them, "I always envisioned someone else taking over the role of educating mutants. Emma's academy is more equipped at the moment. I'm far less confident in what the future holds for the X-men."

"Hope you're not getting too fatalistic on us, Chuck. That's my job and Rogue is still my backup," said Logan.

"Piss off, Logan," grumbled Rogue as she lit another cigarette.

"Language, Rogue," scolded Mystique.

"I'm not trying to sound overly dire, but when my oldest friend gives his life to save a world that I helped complicate, I'm forced to reevaluate my vision," he went one, "I still believe that the X-men can be a force for good. We don't need government resources to be heroes. We don't need a political agenda to foster peace between humans and mutants."

"Although logistically speaking, it's going to be a hell of a lot harder without a plan," Logan pointed out.

"A plan will emerge, but for now the X-men must get back to basics. We're facing a new host of threats. The mission of the X-men won't change. We'll continue to protect this vulnerable world that hates and fears us. We've lost some good friends because of our recent missteps. The best way we can honor their memory is to stay united as the X-men move forward."

There were still plenty of mixed emotions throughout the team. Moving forward seemed so daunting after the divide between the X-men and X-Force. With the deaths of Isaac and Magneto still fresh in their minds, they still had plenty of motivation to build a better future.

Kitty and Bobby remained dismayed at the prospect of staying at the Academy of Tomorrow, but they understood that they had a vital role to play. Sage, Mystique, and Domino had their own roles apart from the X-men. Kurt still had his personal issues with Amanda on Nova Roma. For Logan and Piotr, the X-men still felt like a team in disarray. Now that the divisions of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative were behind them, though, there was a renewed sense of hope.

That hope was still mired in sorrow for Rogue. She hadn't said much since they returned from Asteroid M. She didn't even stand with the others while they watched Agent Brand load up the last truck. Her thoughts and prayers were still with Isaac. Domino struggled with the same feelings. His death struck them on a much deeper level. He was the man who helped rebuild their souls. Now he was gone.

"You gonna be okay, mon amour?" asked Remy, who had since put his cigarettes away.

"Zhis steady diet of nicotine doesn't appear to be working for you, Rogue," said Kurt, who was doing her best to console his sister along with Mystique.

"Ah'm not trying to make anything work. Ah'm just trying to make sense of it all," she sighed, "The Professor keeps talking about rebuilding and reuniting. But this annoying little voice in mah head keeps saying…at what cost?"

"That must be the same annoying voice that's telling me we could have done more," said Domino.

"We were all there. We did everything we could possibly do short of going back in time," Mystique pointed out.

"Still doesn't mean it was worth it," muttered Rogue.

"Ain't nobody can put a cost on losing someone close to you, but take it from a guy that done lost _many_ loved ones…the folks who pay the ultimate price be the only ones that understand," said Remy in a caring tone.

"You really think Isaac understood?"

"Isaac vas a man of God, Rogue," said Kurt, who offered his support as well, "He believed in giving his life for something greater. His sacrifice makes your life and everyone else's that much more meaningful."

Rogue felt another round of sobs approaching. She turned around and stepped away from the others, flicking away her half-finished cigarette in the process. Needing space as well, Domino walked off in another direction so she could make sense of everything on her own. Remy followed Rogue and consoled her with a warm embrace. Kurt and Mystique tried to follow as well, but Remy waved them down. She needed a shoulder to cry on and it might as well be his.

"Ah don't doubt he was sincere, even if he was tormented at times," she said in a strained tone, "It just feels like he made this sacrifice too soon. There was so much more Ah wanted to learn from him."

"He wouldn't have made that sacrifice if he didn't think you could carry on without him," Remy said while offering a tender gesture, "Everything he taught you is still there. Now you gotta be the one to use it."

"Ah just don't know if Ah'm ready," she said with tears forming in her eyes.

"Remy has faith that you are…just like Isaac."

Her tears of sorrow turned to sobs as she buried her face into Remy's shoulder. Isaac's death embodied the price they all paid for being part of this struggle. Having learned the value of faith under his guidance, Rogue had the strong soul she would need in this new world. That faith would just have to be a lot stronger as she mourned him.

While the X-men pondered the future of their team, Agent Brand and SWORD cleared out what was left of the past. The institute was soon cleared of all government resources. Agent Brand was already guiding some of the trucks out. Her departure meant that the Mutant Monitoring Initiative was officially dead. It also meant that the long-term consequences of this failed act could officially begin.

* * *

 **Canada – Abandoned White Cell Base**

' _It's officially over. My career as a Green Beret is done. Somehow I thought I would be more broken up. I served my country for all these years. It made me a better man. I guess it's hard to be emotional when that same country gives you orders that could lead to the end of the fucking world. That's not the battle I care to fight anymore. Country or no country, I'm still a soldier. I still have plenty of missions left in me.'_

Former Captain Jack Freeman was one of many for which the Mutant Monitoring Initiative had affected. That initiative combined his duties as a soldier with his status as a mutant. For years, he avoided mixing the two. He had been determined to be a soldier first and a mutant second. Now it was impossible to separate the two. For future missions, he actually had to embrace it.

That led him to Canada. While White Cell had been officially dissolved, many of their facilities remained intact. It still felt strange for Captain Freeman as he walked through the gated perimeter. Even though the base was officially abandoned, it was still very active.

The MSA and various military forces had long since cleared out every White Cell base. However, the manpower it once employed was still in place. It just needed new leadership and direction. That was where General Grimshaw came in. He was the first one the former Green Beret encountered upon entering the base.

"You're late," said the General as he met up with him just outside the gate.

"I got held up. You'd be surprised how much paperwork there is for a mutant soldier being discharged," said Jack.

"I just ended a decorated military career on a very bitter note. Trust me, Captain. I'm not surprised by much."

"I don't doubt that, sir. But we'll need to get used to the idea that I'm not a captain anymore and you're not a general."

"Those ranks were earned, not given. We can resign from the United States military, but not from our duty," said the General strongly, "It would be too easy for me to retire early and spend the rest of my golden years working on my golf game. I'm too much a general as much as you're too much a soldier. Given how our last mission ended, we need to take a different approach."

General Grimshaw gestured for the former Green Beret to follow him. He led him deeper into the base where the seeds of their next mission had already been sewn. Jack couldn't help but be impressed by what he saw.

The General already had dozens of former White Cell units hard at work. Sporting new uniforms with new logos, they were rebuilding or renovating every structure on the base. A steady stream of jeeps and supply trucks rolled in carrying everything from building materials to advanced weapons. While it was far from complete, the base already had a very different ambience. Everything was more professional and official. It had to be for what General Grimshaw had planned.

"We learned some harsh lessons with the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, Captain. Not only was our arrogance exposed. It nearly destroyed the whole world," said the General as they navigated past squads of construction workers and operatives.

"No need to remind me, sir. I've lost enough sleep over it to make a case study for insomnia," said Captain Freeman.

"I hope you're not too hard on yourself because it wasn't your fault. The system failed us. It failed the people we tried to protect and the people who tried everything in their power to make it work. The goal of the initiative was sound. Creating an official body with the authority to police mutants makes sense. It just needs a better system to make it work."

"I'm not going to debate the merits of any system, sir. I know I'd lose that debate. I'm just anxious for a little redemption."

"You're in good company, Captain," said General Grimshaw, "Like the initiative, White Cell was also a flawed system. Say what you will about private military companies, but they still employ good people. They've been in disarray since their boss tried to screw the world over with his little clone army. Nearly every government was content to just let them die off. Since it's never a good idea to leave thousands of trained killers unemployed, I stepped in. I kept White Cell's infrastructure intact. I originally planned on integrating it with the MSA. Now, it's going to take the place of the MSA."

The two decorated soldiers stopped just in front of the base's most ambitious construction project. It emerged from the very ruins in which Romulus launched his attack. It had been destroyed by the X-men during their rescue operation. Now it was already being rebuilt. A maze of scaffolding, concrete, and steel was already taking shape. It promised to be the new heart of a new mission.

"Do you know what the biggest flaw in government is, Captain?" asked the General as he looked over the structure.

"Is that rhetorical question? Because even I can't adapt to certain concepts," said the former Green Beret.

"No adaptation is necessary. It's a simple question of logistics. You see, under the Mutant Monitoring Initiative, the incentives weren't in place. We worked within the whims of policy, politics, and personal grudges. There were too many conflicting voices and not enough vision. We couldn't adapt to what we were facing. Our inflexible ineptitude made bad situations worse and worse situations catastrophic."

"So how is this little endeavor of yours going to be different?" asked Jack, "I know you wouldn't ask me to be part of it if it wasn't ambitious."

"It's more than ambitious. It's a new approach to securing this world from human/mutant conflict. Think of it as a business. White Cell decimated global defenses and the end of the Mutant Monitoring Initiative left every government exposed. That's where we come in. With White Cell's resources, we can provide the world with the security it needs. We can take the decisions surrounding mutant policy out of the hands of corrupt political systems."

"For a fee, I assume."

"That's the business aspect of it. That's also where the incentives line up," reasoned the General, "We need to have something at stake in keeping the peace between humans and mutants. Because at the end of the day, money will usually trump fear and bigotry."

"Sounds like it may put us at odds with the X-men," Jack commented.

"Only to the point where our mission intersects with their," he replied, "The X-men are in just as much disarray. Officially, they're back to being a weird blend of a vigilante group, a private militia, and a non-profit advocacy group. Our new operation will have no such ambiguity. If there's a mutant threat, we get paid to contain it. White Cell already has the resources in place. I've already lined up a number of countries willing to pay us to police their mutants while they pull themselves together."

"Sounds like something Gordon Gekko would be proud of," said Jack dryly, "Maybe this is just the native San Franciscan in me, but isn't business just as prone to corruption as government?"

"There's always a chance for corruption. Given how mutant security groups like the Purifiers have turned out, that requires another incentive. One that will ensure we maintain a certain level of trust between humans and mutants."

"And what does that incentive entail?"

"Turn around and see for yourself," said the General.

Captain Freeman looked over his shoulder where he was met with a sight that would surely set the tone for this new mission. One of the larger convoy trucks had just arrived without him noticing. From the back of the truck, a team of familiar faces emerged.

They included James and Heather Hudson, Jean-Paul and Jean-Marie Beaubier, Christopher Nord, Mary Walker, Walter Langkowski, Eugene Judd, and Xi'an McCoy. They were also known as Vindicator, Guardian, Northstar, Aurora, Agent Zero, Typhoid Mary, Sasquatch, Puck, and Karma. They were White Cell's former alpha unit and now they were wearing new uniforms. As they approached Captain Freeman and General Grimshaw, they saluted. They were clearly ready for their new mission to begin.

"Is this the guy?" asked James Hudson, "This kid was actually a Green Beret?"

"Don't be too harsh on him, James. He's tougher than he looks," said Heather.

"He better be," said Sasquatch, "If we're going to be under new management, it might as well be an upgrade."

"At least he's cute," said Jean-Paul with a grin.

"I feel _so_ welcome," said the former Green Beret dryly.

Jack turned back towards General Grimshaw. His feelings towards this mission were still mixed, but he was officially convinced that the logistics were in place.

"So mentoring one mutant wasn't enough? Now you want to take a page from Xavier's playbook and lead a whole team?" he said.

"Failure aside, the Mutant Monitoring Initiative showed that humans and mutants could accomplish some amazing things when they work together. When it comes to securing this world from mutant threats, cooperation is our best weapon."

"It's essentially a new and improved White Cell. Hopefully with less lobotomies," commented Puck, which earned him a look from Nord and Walker.

"No…not White Cell. Alpha Flight," said General Grimshaw as he turned around to address his new team of soldiers, "We're a couple of failed armies with the opportunity to carve out a second chance for ourselves. Let's not waste it."

His determined words resonated with both the mutants of Alpha Flight and the former White Cell operatives. This new identity offered so much promise. As the new base took shape, they would carry out this mission on their terms. The X-men and the government proved they weren't capable of getting the job done. The burden was on their shoulders now and Jack Freeman was ready to bear it.

"In that case, count me in, General," said the former Green Beret, "It would be a privilege to be your captain again here with Alpha Flight. But before I put on my new uniform, I have a funeral to attend."

* * *

 **Church of Humanity – The Next Day**

There were few constants in a world constantly under beleaguered with change. Death was one of those precious few that bound everyone with equal impact. Father Ryan Hansen often preached that in his sermons. With the death of Isaac, his preaching took form and substance.

"Thank you all for coming together in the midst of these trying times," he said to a large congregation of mourners, "We're gathered here today to say goodbye to a good man who had an amazing spirit. Death is never easy to confront. Losing a loved one can try even the strongest of spirits. However, I ask that you not see this service as mourning a loss. This man didn't sacrifice his life so that it could be mourned. He sacrificed his life so that others may cherish their own."

Father Hansen's heartfelt musings reached a record crowd in the Church of Humanity. His pews had never been this full before. Every seat was occupied. Dozens more stood in the back. There was even a sizable crowd camped outside, listening to the sermon through a special video channel. Humans and mutants who had come together in this church joined for one brief moment of peace so they could say goodbye to Isaac.

That large crowd included many familiar faces in the front pews. The X-men were the most prominent. Scott, Jean, Warren, Bobby, Hank, Ororo, Logan, Rogue, Remy, Kurt Kitty, Betsy, Piotr, and Mystique joined Professor Xavier in the front row. Julian, Laura, Roberto, Sam, Noriko, Tabitha, Danielle, Santo, Rahne, Amara, and the Stepford Cuckoos from the Academy of Tomorrow sat in the pew adjacent to theirs. Emma Frost accompanied them alongside Shiro, James, and Dr. Nemesis. Moira, Sean, and Forge also stuck around for the sermon before heading back to Muir Island. The mutants of District X sat in the pews behind the X-men. Bishop, Sage, and Jamie shared a row with Jubilee, Laurie, Teon, Kenji, Idie, and Gabriel. Domino went out of her way be part of this service. Having known Isaac personally, she sat next to Rogue so they could support each other through this difficult event.

The only one who avoided being in the front was Captain Jack Freeman. While he had also played a part in Isaac's final mission, it didn't seem appropriate to sit with the people he undermined. Instead, he hid himself in the crowded pews alongside many other mourners.

Some were members that were not among those who followed Vargas to Asteroid M. Others were just curious onlookers who were struck by the story once it leaked out. The story of a single human that rejected the power offered by the High Evolutionary resonated with many. He took on an entire world of hostile mutants and was willing to sacrifice his life to save others. It obscured the notion that someone needed powers to be a hero. Isaac managed to accomplish taht feat through faith alone.

"Those of us who knew Isaac personally knew him as a complicated man," said Father Hansen as he continued his service, "He came from a world of tragedy and violence. He was a man of great passion who was often misguided by those passions. Yet he dedicated himself to serving the Lord. He trusted me to teach him at a time when he was lost. He took those teachings to heart and I couldn't be more proud of how he used them."

Father Hansen had to pause for a moment. He found himself getting more emotional than he expected. He could see those same emotions amongst his flock, especially Rogue and Idie. Upon regaining his composure, he continued to honor his fallen spiritual brother.

"Isaac truly believed that some are blessed with a special power. Isaac wasn't a mutant, but he reached out to them in a profound way. To him, they weren't threats. They were only as dangerous as the souls that wielded them. It's a belief that goes beyond mutation. It doesn't matter if such power involves telepathy, money, or sheer physical talent. There's still a soul at the heart of it all. He saw the gifts that others wielded as true messages from God."

His words continued to evoke emotion throughout the church. Rogue and Idie each let out hard sobs. Mystique, Kurt, and Remy attempted to console Rogue while Jubilee and the rest of the Lights did the same for Idie. They were living proof that Isaac had reached people on a very spiritual level. Even though he was dead, that spirit would live on.

"In his last act, Isaac utilized the greatest blessing God had given him…his faith. It was through that faith that he had the courage to make his sacrifice," Father Hansen went on, "So as we say our final goodbyes, let us do more than just pray for him. Let us celebrate the blessings that he preserved with his act of heroism. We all need to remind ourselves now and then just how vulnerable we are. For even in a world that seems chaotic, we persevere. In the end Isaac proved that we don't need strength, invulnerability, or firepower to be a true hero. We need only faith and the courage to follow our hearts."

Having sent his heavenly message, Father Hansen gestured for everyone in the pews to stand up. As they rose, the solemn preacher placed a bible and a rosemary bead cross atop Isaac's decorated coffin. He performed a final gesture to bless his friend's fallen spirit before leading the final prayers.

The ceremony struck many on a profound level. It had a very special impact for Charles Xavier and the X-men. The idea that one man could do something so amazing through the power of his faith offered hope in a time of great uncertainty. Isaac's sacrifice called into question many of the notions that humans had about mutants and vice versa. It was a message that promised to resonate as the world adapted to new challenges.

* * *

 **Nova Roma – Later**

Kurt Wagner had endured an emotional tug-of-war during his time with X-Force. Originally, he joined the team because he needed to be a hero again. Lying around and lamenting over Amanda wasn't doing him any good. If nothing else, he needed something with which to distract himself. He ended up getting much more than that.

He certainly didn't plan on making a connection with Wanda Maximoff. He opposed her numerous times before the Genosha exodus. Then when she was left stranded in Nova Roma, they found themselves drawn to one another. He could tell she developed feelings for him. He couldn't avoid the feelings he developed for her as well. He fought them every step of the way. His heart told him he still loved Amanda, but his brain told him that his love wasn't strong enough to overcome her mystical coma.

It left him in a difficult state, one which he needed time to resolve. After Isaac's funeral had concluded, he returned to Nova Roma where he intended to check up on Amanda. Mystique went with him. Now that she had a firm grasp on the truth behind her past, she seemed ready to focus on the present.

"So how long do you plan on staying here this time?" asked Mystique as they made their way through the Curia.

"I haven't decided yet," said Kurt distantly.

"Does that mean you'll go back to dwelling endlessly about your girlfriend's _condition_?" she asked more seriously, "Because as your mother, I'm compelled to point out how unhealthy that would be."

"You don't need to remind me. Rogue said zhe same thing," he sighed.

"All the more reason to take up her offer to rejoin her," said the shape-shifter, "It's not like you can't visit Amanda whenever you want. Your powers literally make it a heartbeat away."

"Are you actually _encouraging_ me to join zhe X-men?" asked Kurt with a raised eyebrow, "Zhat almost sounds just as unhealthy for you."

"Trust me. I take no pleasure in saying that. But my priorities have changed since White Cell. I've learned enough about my past to equip myself for the present. In case you've forgotten, I made a promise to your father. It's about time I get back to keeping it."

"I don't see vhat zhat has to do vith me joining zhe X-men."

"It's a matter of support, son. Destiny's latest visions have had one consistent component. The threat your father worked so hard to contain is fast approaching. Neither of us is in a position to face it alone. That's why we need to be around people we can trust."

"In other words, you vant Wolverine to keep an eye on me," Kurt surmised, "You do realize zhis is a man you once shot in zhe eye, don't you?"

"Like I said, my priorities have changed," she admitted, "I'd rather not talk about my relationship with Wolverine at the moment. All you need to know is we're trying to make the past and the present work. You and Rogue are now part of both. Besides, she needs you right now. After Isaac died, she's been deeply distraught."

"I know zhat, Mother. And I plan on being zhere for her," he assured, "But right now, Amanda needs me."

Mystique shook her head in frustration as she and Kurt neared the mystical research chamber. They passed by some Praetorian Guards along the way. This was a very secure area because it was where Margali Sefton and Shaman did all their mystical research. This bothered Mystique because it filled her son with false hope. He clearly loved this girl, but the circumstances surrounding her condition made that love painful.

"I'm sorry, son. I really am," she said, sounding more sincere, "I know I've been somewhat insensitive to your recent plight with Amanda."

"Zhis is actually zhe first time you seemed to really care," he said as they stopped just outside the chamber door.

"That's because I don't like how she's affecting you. Shaman and Margali have given no indication that Amanda will ever come out of that coma. I'm starting to think you were healthier growing attached with Wanda Maximoff."

"Can ve please not bring _zhat_ up?" he groaned.

"Why not? I know Wanda. She's probably the only woman who maintains her composure in this horrendously fucked up world. I can't see her ending up in a coma."

"You sound like you're trying to set me up vith her," he said, rolling his eyes.

"I'm compelled to remind you that Wanda offered you a chance to join her in City X. She seemed to value your input. Since she's taken on Magneto's mantle once more, it would be a good position for whenever your father's old demons reemerge."

"Zhe only position zhat matters to me now is at Amanda's side," he said strongly as he opened the chamber door, "I admit, zhere were some emotions involved vith Vanda, but Amanda is still my lover. I'm going to stand by her until ve find a way to…"

Kurt immediately froze as soon as he stepped into the chamber. He gasped in horror as he and Mystique were met with a ghastly sight.

The entire chamber had been ransacked. Stacks of books had been torn apart or burned. Mystical artifacts had been damaged or completely destroyed. In the midst of the destruction, Shaman and Margali laid lifelessly near Amanda's chamber. Shaman was still moving. Margali was not. What may have been the most horrifying sight of all was the chamber itself. It was empty. Amanda Sefton was gone.

"MARGALI! AMANDA!" Kurt exclaimed.

"Holy shit!" gasped Mystique, "Destiny, how could you not see _this_ one coming?"

Kurt ran out ahead of his mother and knelt by the now vacant chamber where Margali was lying. He tried desperately to wake her, but it was already too late. She wasn't moving or breathing. There were no wound on her body, but it was painfully clear that there had been a struggle of sorts and she lost that struggle.

While Kurt was quickly overcome with dread, Mystique checked on Shaman. He was barely conscious and unlike Margali, he had a nasty-looking wound in his abdomen. His eyes bore all the signs of someone who had seen a horrific sight.

"Don't you dare pass out!" said Mystique strongly, "What happened here? This chamber was supposed to be safe!"

"It…was too strong," he said weakly, "We tried…to stop it. Wasn't…enough."

"Can you be more specific than it? And what the hell happened to Amanda?!"

"It…took her," said Shaman through strained words, "Margali…fought to her last breath. Still wasn't enough. Now…they have her. The power…is theirs."

Mystique tried to get more answers out of this man. They could be connected to her mission for Azazel. Unfortunately, Shaman was too wounded. He passed out before he could define who or what was behind this. After holding Margali's lifeless body in his arms, he turned towards the empty chamber. There was no trace left of Amanda. Her body was gone. Her spirit was gone. He hadn't been by her side to protect her. Whatever secrets she had within her were lost.

"Amanda…forgive me. I've failed you," he cried in a wave of sorrow, "I swear I vill find you! Do you hear me? I vill find who did zhis and make zhem pay!"

* * *

 **Unknown Location**

Life and death shared unique relationship. The intrinsic value of one was directly derived from the other. Life was more precious because of death and death had an impact because of life. Part of what made this relationship special was that so few understood this relationship. Even those that did could never hope to master it.

For some, the forces of life and death were nothing more than mechanical states. They could be tweaked, tuned, and even controlled. Nathanial Essex was among the few who had mastered these forces. While the Legacy Virus may have led to his death, his mastery over life ensured that such a state was only a temporary setback.

" _He's waking up. Hurry! Make sure he's stable this time."_

" _He? Don't you think that's a poor use of words?"_

" _Quit being coy! Just do it!"_

Those jumbled voices emerged from a deathly abyss. From that realm in which no one was supposed to return, the consciousness of Mr. Sinister emerged. It was drawn to those voices as it settled into a new body. That body had been gestating in a special artificial womb. As the two familiar voices argued, the womb ruptured and the body emerged along with Sinister's consciousness.

"No! It's too soon!" exclaimed Gabriel Summers as he rushed to towards the womb.

"Wait…I don't think that's our decision to make," said Madelyn as she held him back.

Gabriel and Madelyn watched anxiously as the figure remained in a fetal position for a few moments. The special womb from which it emerged was the size of a refrigerator and far more complex. That body wasn't supposed to be ready. Yet it appeared alive and well.

As the figure rose up, Sinister opened his eyes to reveal his distinct reddish glow. He let out a euphoric groan as he stretched out his new body. He was dazed in a way not unlike an infant that had just been born. Everything felt strange and different, but the rush of being alive again was invigorating.

"Ahhhh! That was a nice, refreshing nap," he proclaimed, "My dearest godchildren…I knew you wouldn't let me down."

"Um…I'd rather you not lavish us with praise just yet, Uncle," said Gabriel, "We weren't able to deliver as we hoped."

"What do you mean?"

"I would suggest you look in a mirror, but looking down works just as well," said Madelyn.

As his mind and body became more coherent, he realized what they were referring to. That strange and different sensation he felt when he emerged from the wound wasn't just a side-effect of being reborn.

"I'm…a woman," he said in daze.

"You trained us to be fighters. Not geneticists," said Madelyn.

"These backups you had in place kicked in right after the Legacy Virus incident," Gabriel explained, "It was a real hassle finding this place, but once we did it took a while to get everything up and running. Making a new body was tricky, even with the instructions you left. It was so tricky we sort of damaged the Y-chromosome. The only way to make your body viable was to make you a woman."

It was a jarring sensation, dying a man and waking up a woman. Looking down at his new form, Sinister confirmed that this new body had all the trappings of a shapely feminine figure. He trailed his hands down his face and over his now ample breasts. Then continued down his skin, noting the same distinct white texture he had before. As the reality settled in, he started laughing. He laughed so hard that it started to worry Gabriel and Madelyn.

" _Now_ is it time to start worrying?" questioned Gabriel.

"I honestly don't know anymore," said Madelyn distantly.

"Ha! Oh this is certainly going to make things interesting," he said, "I look forward to seeing Selene's reaction when she sees me like this."

"Selene? She's alive too?" gasped Madelyn.

"Uncle, are you sure you're…" began Gabriel.

"I've never been better, my godchild! And please…call me Miss Sinister now," said Sinister with a grin, "As for my beloved Selene, we shared a brief encounter during my nap. Apparently, death isn't enough to keep her busy. She's already set our next plan into motion. Dare I say, it's nothing short of _apocalyptic_!"

* * *

 **End of Volume 7**

 **AN: To all those who have supported X-men Supreme all these years, I sincerely thank you. For now, this series will go on hiatus. I'm not going to say this is the definitive end. I left it open to continue. For the time being, though, I will be stepping away from X-men Supreme. Whether or not I do so depends on a number of factors, many of which I do not control. I've had a wonderful time writing and developing this story. I've met and talked to some amazing people along the way. From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate all the support I've gotten. I hope you've enjoyed this series as much as I enjoyed writing it. For now, so long and best wishes!**

 **MarvelMaster616**


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